
O UGH1 


\ CHARLES BROD/E PATTERSON 






2nd COPY, 
1890. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

€ 59 . - 

Chap.fcz.l__, Copyright No,_ 


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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 











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New Thought Essays 




CHARLES BRODIE PATTERSON, 

author of 

“Seeking the Kingdom,” “Beyond the Clouds,” 
“Visions of Truth,” etc., 

and editor of 

“The Library of Health.” 


NEW YORK: 

THE ALLIANCE PUBLISHING COMPANY, 

“Life” Building. 

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'gF&SI 

rp*3 3 


20093 

COPTMGHT, 1898, BY 

THE ALLIANCE PUBLISHING COMPANY. 


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In liberated moments we know that a new picture of life and 
duty is already possible. The elements already exist in many minds 
around you of a doctrine of life which shall transcend any written 
record we h&ve.—Balph Waldo Emerson. 



CONTENTS 


PAGE 

An Introduction to the New Thought.5 

Life as a Journey.11 

The Mental Origin of Disease.17 

Mental and Physical Correspondences.25 

The Imaging Faculty.33 

How We Make Our Environment.39 

The Evolution of Power.45 

Food for Mind and Body.50 

Breath Vibration.57 

Form and Symbol.63 

Mental Science Vs. Hypnotism.69 

Thoughts on Spiritual Healing.77 

Psychical Research.83 

Telepathy a Scientific Fact.91 

Healing at a Distance 


98 















An Introduction to the New Thought. 


In the following Essays I have tried, so far as I have 
knowledge, to present a study of life in its various phases 
from a spiritual basis, contending that the ideal man 
existed before the external expression, and that life’s 
great object is the unfolding of the perfect ideal. When 
one has attained a realization of this truth, he will seek 
to work from the center of things outward, thus reversing 
what is supposed to be the regular order of life—the 
acquirement of knowledge and understanding from with¬ 
out, by working from the circumference toward the center. 
I do not deny the need or utility of any or all material 
things, but contend that there is an invisible force that 
finds its outer expression in them; that we should under¬ 
stand their true relation as cause and effect; and that the 
external manifestation has no power and no existence— 
save as it derives these qualities from the inner. 

We are entering a new cycle of religious thought, in 
which spirituality will make manifest its true value; and 


6 


New Thought Essays. 


with its influx will come a brightness and a glow of life 
hitherto unknown. There has been too much gloom— 
even despair—bound up in the materialistic religion of 
the past. The time is now ripe for the establishing of an 
ever-new religion. You ask, Is it to supersede Christi¬ 
anity? No; it is to re-present Christianity. It will 
supersede the Calvinistic nightmare, which, hanging over 
Christendom like a great, black cloud, shuts out the light 
and blights the life of the true Christ-religion. The the¬ 
ology of Calvin has been like a vine, winding and winding 
itself about a tree of which it is no part and sapping 
out its life. But the vine has grown old and is losing 
its power to harm—while the tree still lives. When the 
Christ-religion stands revealed in all its purity and glory, 
the old order of things must pass away. 

John Calvin was no more a Christian than was 
Mohammed; they were both inspired by the law, “An eye 
for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” Both went to the 
same source for their religions—the Old Testament, not 
the New. The Christ law of non-resistance had no place 
in their creeds. In the coming religion, however, life 
and immortality will be brought to light, and the gospel 
of glad tidings will be proclaimed anew. The negative 
and fatalistic philosophies that were the natural outcome 
of a perverted Christian belief will vanish before the 
coming sunshine. 

In his natural state, man is an optimistic being. His 
mind, however, may become engrossed in a fatalistic relig¬ 
ion or a negative philosophy; and when such is the case, 
his thoughts must necessarily be colored by the nature of 


An Introduction to the New Thought . 7 

his belief. But no man can be thoroughly happy or well 
who contemplates the negative side of existence. He that 
takes the bright and hopeful side is the one who does the 
most good—and gets the most good out of life. 

I have pictured life as a journey with many roads, all 
of which lead to one goal. I have tried to show that man, 
if he would, might understand the laws of life aright, and 
through conforming thereto attain to both health and 
happiness in the immediate present—or, choosing to dis¬ 
regard knowledge and disobey the law, through many and 
varied hard experiences be brought at last to see that 
there is neither rest nor peace save through obedience to 
the Will of God, and that the fire of bitter experience 
tends only to purify and perfect the life; furthermore, 
that we are responsible for the disease and distress that 
come upon us—for these are only the natural outcome of 
perverted mental states, there being an exact correspond¬ 
ence between inner and outer conditions: hence, the mind 
that images things pure and good, things true and eternal,, 
will express wholeness and strength of body; that, in a 
word, health is a question of knowledge. 

I have shown how it is easier to be well and strong 
than sick and diseased; how we make our own environ¬ 
ment by relating ourselves either in the true or false way 
to persons and conditions about us; how we can make life 
what we will to make it; that we are endowed with certain 
powers and possibilities that, Tvhen used aright, attract 
to us all things needful; that through the development of 
latent power comes the greatest satisfaction of life; and 
that we are not to be forgetful of the inner bread of life 


8 New Thought Essays. 

any more than of the bread necessary to sustain and 
nourish the body. 

I have explained how true desire and meditation have 
a definite effect upon the breath, causing us to breathe 
strong and deep—this function, in turn, having a bene¬ 
ficial effect upon the body; why we should never worship 
any outer form or symbol, but try to understand aright 
what it stands for; that symbolism has had and will con¬ 
tinue to have its use as a stepping-stone from the form to 
the spirit of things; that none of the faculties with which 
we are endowed should be put to any perverted use, such 
as influencing another mind against its own will, but 
rather to advise or suggest the true course to follow in life 
—never seeking to compel , it evidently being a part of the 
plan of creation that each soul should work out its own 
salvation; and thus that Spiritual Science has for its 
object the illumination of the way of life, not the forcing 
of any one into the way—the metaphysical healer being 
expected to let his own light so shine that others, seeing 
and acquiring knowledge thereof, may thereby be induced 
to enter into the way of life. 

I have tried to impress upon the minds of my readers 
that we should seek to prove the truth of all things, hold¬ 
ing fast only that which is good; that we should seek the 
Truth for its own sake, rather than through any love of 
the marvelous or any spirit of curiosity in regard to the 
oc'cult or mysterious, knowing that there is an orderly 
course in life and in knowledge that brings each true 
development in its natural way, and that we can under¬ 
stand its needs and uses only as we have knowledge 


An Introduction to the New Thought . 


ft 


concerning the law that regulates it; that the mind is 
to be neither superstitious nor skeptical concerning unfa¬ 
miliar things, but should be receptive, so that truth may 
find an abiding-place in its recesses; and that all physical 
things are representative of mental states and conditions. 

The power to communicate our thoughts to persons 
at a distance through mechanical aid is, after all, only 
the representative of a higher condition of thought-trans- 
mission without the aid of any kind of visible mechanism. 
Conditions are just as necessary to fulfil the law by which 
thought travels along an electric wire as they are to the 
law whereby thought travels without mechanical acces¬ 
sories. We have found that if the living thought in the 
life of man is that which heals him and makes him strong, 
then this vibratory force can be transmitted directly from 
mind to mind, giving health and strength to many—for 
we are all members of one great body. 

So far as I have been able to comprehend the teachings 
of the great Master, Jesus of Nazareth, I believe that the 
statements presented in these Essays are in perfect accord 
with all he taught. None can dispute that he sought to 
inculcate the love and everlasting mercy of God; that God 
is Spirit , dwelling in the hearts and lives of his children, 
to whom he gave health and life and all other good things; 
that his kingdom is in the souls of men; that his desire is 
that man should express outwardly his inner power; that 
knowledge and understanding of all things would come 
through seeking after God; and that Divinity is to be 
sought and found within rather than without. 

The true Christian is the one who lives the Christ life— 


10 


New Thought Essays. 


thinking the Christ thoughts and doing the Christ deeds— 
his faith fixed in the eternal power of God rather than in 
any external thing. 

In conclusion, I wish to impress on my readers that 
God’s law is eternal and unchanging, and that only 
through knowledge of and conformity to the law can each 
and every problem of life be solved and the entanglements 
that seem to beset us be cleared away. A realization of 
God in the life is our greatest need, for it will bring to us 
our greatest happiness. 



» 


LIFE AS A JOURNEY. 


If you purposed taking a journey into a strange country, 
where the language, manners, and customs of the people 
were different from those of your own land, and where the 
climate differed radically from yours, you would make it 
your business to become as well informed as possible con¬ 
cerning that country. This, according to most people, 
would be the common-sense way of acting; and a man that 
did not thus equip himself would be considered neither 
prudent nor wise. 

We are all on a journey that begins in the cradle and 
ends only when the physical form is laid away: a journey 
that, though fraught with momentous consequences, we 
must travel whether we will or not—the journey of life. 

How about the way of life? How about the road that 
we must travel? Do we know aught concerning it? Has 
it been the chief thing in our lives to seek knowledge 
regarding this way; or have we closed our eyes to the light 
and walked aimlessly along in the night of human error? 
There is a broad way, filled with pitfalls for the unwary, 
and it grows harder and harder every step we take. It is 
the way of sin and death. We cannot deny its existence, 
for there is evidence of it on every side. And there is a 
strait and narrow way that leads unto life eternal. 

In one or the other of these ways, each and every one 
is walking. There is no middle course. The broad path 
lies well beaten about us on every side; yet it is not neces¬ 
sary, in order to attain to a knowledge of the inner way, 
to kill out love of earthly things, of things beautiful, 


12 


New Thought Essays . 


or even normal appetites and desires. It is needful, how¬ 
ever, that we should understand the relative value of all 
that surrounds us in the world of form. It is necessary to 
make all appetites and desires subordinate to the inner 
impulses of the soul; for, if we attach undue value to 
things having but a transitory existence, a time comes 
when we must lose them, and we have nothing to repair the 
loss. Many have run the full gamut of everything that the 
world can possibly give; and what have they for their 
pains? Are they happier or more contented than others? 
Has the world afforded them a lasting satisfaction? No; 
the end is weariness of mind and vexation of spirit. The 
broad way, which promised so much and was to fill the life 
with joy and pleasure, has brought only sorrow and pain. 
The reason is that the goal set for man’s attainment lies far 
beyond the boundaries of anything that pertains to earth. 
Man is a spiritual being placed here in physical form; his 
body is of the earth, but his soul belongs to the higher 
realms of light and love. Salvation—freedom from the 
bondage of worldly appetite and desire—comes to the soul 
when it truly knows its heavenly origin. 

“I am the Way.” This is the assertion that the 
universal Son of God makes to all who would follow in 
that way; for God’s kingdom is within the soul, where the 
will, the power, and the life of God find expression, and, 
working outward, result in wholeness and completeness 
of mind and body. Thus the strait and narrow way is 
to be found within—through understanding that the life 
and the mind of God are active forces, in fact the only 
forces, in our being. 

From considering the Way, let us turn our attention to 
the Truth. How shall we know it, and, through knowing, 
obey it? While truth is eternal and immutable, our 
views of it are constantly changing. Our conceptions of 
the present will not be those of the future. As the true 


Life as a Journey. 


13 


inner light—that light which lighteth every man that 
cometh into the world—discloses itself to the soul, a con¬ 
scious realization that not only the Way but the Truth lies 
within thrills every part of one’s being. “I am the Way; 
I am the Truth.” This is the voice of God speaking in the 
soul of man; and from this altitude we may exclaim, 
with Jesus the Christ, “Before Abraham was I am.” 
Before the soul ever gained an expression through form, 
it existed as an ideal in the mind of its Creator. 

Truth, therefore, is neither to be sought nor found in 
the world without, for the law, the word of God, is written 
on the tablet of man’s heart, and no one can have knowl¬ 
edge of this law save as it is made manifest to him from 
within—save as he can read the word and understand the 
law. The whole outer world is but the symbol, or expres¬ 
sion, of the inner world. Visible things change and pass 
away, but the force that brought thfem into existence 
neither slumbers nor sleeps, but ceaselessly continues its 
work of creation and re-creation, generation and regenera¬ 
tion. In vain do we turn our attention to the outer world 
for a knowledge of truth. We study the various forms of 
life, from the protoplasm to the physical body of man; yet 
have we discovered aught concerning the life that animates 
these forms, or anything regarding the intelligence that 
causes each organism* to follow out the mode of existence 
to which it is best adapted? No; we are blind to any 
knowledge concerning these things. The arts and the 
sciences prove absolutely nothing advantageous to man in 
his quest for Truth. 

It must be admitted by all, if man is a spiritual being, 
an immortal soul, that knowledge of things that pertain 
to soul-growth—to the unfolding of powers latent within 
the soul—must be of greater importance than anything 
or everything in the outer world. Have the arts or the 
sciences anything to say on this question of soul-develop- 


14 


New Thought Essays . 


ment? No; they play no part whatever. The intellectual 
development of the age is immersed in the letter, losing 
all sight of the spirit. 

A man that is on the purely animal plane of existence 
is blind to any other; the gratification of appetite is all that 
he knows; his life is bounded by these things, and the light 
of higher planes is shut out. The man that dwells on the 
intellectual plane of existence believes Reason to be his 
highest faculty; hence, he worships at her throne, and is 
blind to the light that comes to him from any higher plane. 
Is the soul’s salvation dependent upon this intellectual 
development? 

If our hypothesis concerning life be found in the 
interior world, then working from that premise we may 
follow out a line of reasoning that will prove the truth of 
our belief. But, in the outer world, how easy it is to find 
any number of hypotheses, each capable of logical demon¬ 
stration! Therefore, scholars and scientists are in a 
constant state of disagreement. Students in strictly 
exoteric lines of thought take exception to the hypothesis 
of spiritual science, asserting it to be vague and unsatis¬ 
factory; but can it be any more so than some of their own 
hypotheses? Were their basis always true, their logic 
would be conclusive; but what do they know, in some cases, 
even of their basis? For instance, what does any scientist 
know of an atom? Did he ever see or touch one? No; 
yet science imparts what purports to be exact knowledge 
concerning atoms: that all those of the same element are 
identical in weight; those of different elements possess 
different weights; an atom is indivisible; the number that 
indicates the weight of the atom of any element is the same 
as the combining or equivalent number of that element. 
For example, the composition of water is definite and 
unchangeable. It consists, by weight, of one part of 
hydrogen to eight parts of oxygen. The multiple of 


Life as a Journey. 


15 


hydrogen is always one, and that of oxygen always eight, 
in water—one of hydrogen with eight of oxygen generating 
water. The oxygen is not, therefore, eight times superior 
to the hydrogen in neutralizing or saturating power; they 
are exactly equal: hence, the quantities taken are called 
equivalents. Thus, when two bodies combine with a third, 
they are both equivalents of the third; they are also 
equivalents of each other, and unite in exactly the' same 
proportions. 

From this theory of atoms is based the “atomic theory” 
of the universe. But who knows whether the atom is a 
divisible particle or not? Who knows that the atom has 
even an existence? Is not the hypothesis of the material 
scientist more “vague” than that of the spiritual scientist, 
who affirms that there is but one supreme Power in the 
universe, which imparts its own life to all living things and 
gives of its own intelligence to the degree that all forms 
may require to express their perfect fulness? Is this 
hypothesis vague and unsatisfactory, when on every side 
we see the evidence of life’s unceasing action—when in 
and through everything is made manifest some degree of 
intelligence? There must be a supreme Source from which 
flow all life and all intelligence; and how can we know the 
truth concerning it, save as we study it in our own lives? 
We certainly cannot find it in the outer world of form. 

The God in man declares the truth to him. If we were 
to listen to that inner voice we would be guided into the 
way of all truth. The soul, realizing its oneness with God, 
its inseparableness from the Source of all life and love, 
knows that there is but one Power, one Life-force, in the 
universe, which, speaking within the soul, declares: “I 
alone am the life. And the words that I speak unto you, 
they are spirit and they are life.” Man’s true kingdom, 
therefore, is not of this earth; it is the control, by the real 
“I,” of both mind and body, so that the individual will 


16 


New Thought Essays. 


may be in perfect accord with the Will of the universe, 
and that we may express in our lives the divine ideal. 
The Way, the Truth, and the Life are to be found only 
within; time spent in seeking them elsewhere is wasted. 
True knowledge comes through obeying the higher 
impulses that well up in the soul, and through bringing 
our thoughts into accord therewith. 


THE MENTAL ORIGIN OF DISEASE. 


Every physical condition has a corresponding mental 
state. Change the mental state, and you change the phys¬ 
ical condition. The body is what we make it—strong and 
whole, or weak and diseased. If we are in harmony with 
universal law, we must be harmonious ourselves. When 
our wills are in opposition, through selfish desires or emo¬ 
tions, we become weak and discordant. 

The will has a definite effect on all parts of the body; 
but nowhere is it more noticeable than on the neck. Its 
true action gives strength to that part of the organism, 
while lack of will gives weakness. Where there is per¬ 
verseness of will, or self-will, it often occasions stiffness or 
soreness of the neck. The scriptural statement that the 
Jews were a stiff-necked and rebellious people is only au 
illustration of the power of self-will. 

The arms and hands, as the instruments of execution, 
are closely connected with the will and intellect. They 
are therefore considered the most executive part of the 
body. It is quite possible, with an educated sense of touch, 
to perceive different shades of will and intellect simply by 
the clasp of another’s hand; and many are able to deter¬ 
mine by this method whether or not a person is possessed 
of mental firmness. 

Persons that are thoughtfully disposed invariably in¬ 
cline the head slightly forward; but one whose thoughts 
are constantly striving to reach a given destination in ad¬ 
vance of the body droops the head and shoulders decidedly 


18 


New Thought Essays. 


forward. Where the head is thrown back, it indicates 
physical development and independence. Frequently we 
notice people with their arms akimbo; this is also an indi¬ 
cation of an independent frame of mind. When the arms 
are carried close to the sides, however, a lack of independ¬ 
ence is indicated. Stiff thumbs, bending outward, indicate 
firmness; but when they fall in toward the palm of the 
hand, a lack of mentality is shown. 

The lungs are acted upon by desires. When these are 
intense and true, w r e breathe strongly and deeply. The 
right base of all breathing is the diaphragm; proceeding 
thence, the breath is under proper control. Our mental 
faculties should be used to develop every organ in the 
body. Where there is a lack of mind development, the 
corresponding organ will become first weakened and then 
diseased. It is not remarkable that nineteen persons in 
every twenty are troubled with coughs, colds, and other 
lung difficulties, for they use little more than half their 
lung power, their breath being exhaled from the chest in¬ 
stead of the diaphragm. Desire is properly the aspiration 
for things good and true; it controls the out-breathing, 
while response to the desire is the receiving of inspiration 
corresponding to the in-breathing. Our ordinary respira¬ 
tion is seldom really strong and deep—for it is only as 
man asks that he receives; it is only as he knocks that the 
door is opened to him; it is only as he seeks that he finds. 

Man is created in the image and likeness of his Cre¬ 
ator. He is endowed with certain faculties of soul and 
mind, and his salvation depends upon their proper use and 
control. His mission is to work out the powers and pos¬ 
sibilities wrought in him from the beginning. After all, 
this is only a reasonable service; it is the one duty he owes 
to God and to his fellow-men. Through this development 
he most truly worships God and becomes most helpful to 
his race. 


The Mental Origin of Disease . 


19 


Mental impulses have a decided and definite action 
upon the heart; but no impulse is so strong in this respect 
as that of love. True love—which is the love of universal 
good; which is the sun that shines for all; which is benefi¬ 
cent—strengthens every organ of the body to a degree 
equaled by no other soul-impulse or mental faculty. It is 
the crowning, dominating influence in the soul of man, 
transcending all others. When Jesus was asked concern¬ 
ing God, he could form no loftier conception than the high¬ 
est impulse of his own soul. He answered, “God is Love.” 
All intellectual conceptions of Deity are as nothing when 
compared to this expression of a feeling so great as to be 
indescribable in human language. 

The blood corresponds to the life-force which is “in all, 
through all, and above all.” From the heart of love, it is 
sent coursing throughout the organism to replenish its 
needs. After fulfilling its mission, it returns to the heart, 
where it undergoes a process of purification and renewal— 
whence it proceeds again to supply the needs of the body. 
In this interaction of heart, blood, and body, we find typi¬ 
fied the correspondence existing between God and man. 
The vital forces proceed from the Supreme Heart of the 
universe, to nourish and supply every living thing therein; 
then they return to God, to be again sent out on their vivi¬ 
fying errand. “We live in God, and know it not.” 

The brain is undoubtedly the principal organ of the 
mind, but the mind is not the chief part of man; neither is 
the brain the chief part of the body. Mind of itself orig¬ 
inates nothing; it is ever acted upon by the higher impulses 
of the soul. Mind is not the germ of life; it is merely its 
reflector. It derives its being from the higher impulses, 
and its office is to relate itself to them. In this manner, 
man may become truly related to the outer world. 

The bodily organs corresponding to man’s innermost 
being are those located in the trunk—chiefly the heart. 


20 


New Thought Essays. 


When the heart is affected by emotions produced from 
without, we experience irregularity of action. When the 
life of man seems to be thus tainted—a condition invaria¬ 
bly caused by a wrong relationship to his environment— 
the blood, after a time, becomes “poisoned;” it no longer 
carries true nourishment to the different parts of the 
body. Then it is said that the blood is “diseased.” 
There are different expressions and degrees of this 
life-poisoning condition: for instance, one form of it is 
called rheumatism; another is evidenced by cutaneous 
eruptions, etc. 

Anger has a decided effect upon the blood, producing 
first an excessive flow. As stated in the previous article, 
wherever there is an excess of action, there must be a cor¬ 
responding reaction. It is not possible for any one to in¬ 
dulge in repeated outbursts of anger without adversely 
affecting the blood. Mental inflammation will surely re¬ 
sult in physical inflammation, as one cannot be separated 
from the other. Anger, hatred, fear, selfishness—these are 
the cause of more physical disease than all other mental 
states combined. Bile derives its true action from sweet¬ 
ness and kindness of disposition; its flow is then directed to 
the corresponding needs of the body. But its false action 
is usually caused by mental bitterness and a feeling of re¬ 
pulsion toward persons or things. 

True physical digestion comes through proper mental 
digestion. It is noticeable that intellectual people are 
generally troubled with either indigestion or dyspepsia. 
They make the intellect the god of their being, depending 
on it to the exclusion of the higher impulses, thereby pro¬ 
ducing an unbalanced state. The intellect should not be 
underrated; it is necessary, however, to show its true rela¬ 
tion to being—as a reflector , not a producer, of light. One 
of the most common causes of indigestion lies in the effort 
of certain persons to acquire knowledge rapidly. They 


The Mental Origin of Disease. 


21 


cram the mind with many things they have not mentally 
digested, and this mental indigestion is the forerunner of 
a corresponding physical condition. Again, we find people 
with good digestion who do not properly assimilate their 
food. This result corresponds to knowledge which they 
have clearly perceived but failed to use. We must first 
thoroughly digest what we read, think of it, talk it over, 
thoroughly assimilate it—then we can make it our own. 
We must live it—must be it; and if we are bright, hopeful, 
and cheerful, we shall have no trouble with the digestion 
and assimilation of our physical food. 

The kidneys and secret organs are affected by the se¬ 
crecies of life. Into every life enter many thoughts and 
conditions too sacred to mention, even to one’s dearest 
friends. These things act upon the private organs to 
strengthen and keep them whole; but the false secrecy of 
life—the desire to cover and hide evil things from the 
knowledge of others—produces weakness and disease of 
those parts. False passions inflame, and in time consume, 
the secret organs of the body. 

As already pointed out, the lower limbs correspond to 
the sustaining power, and the feet to the rock of under¬ 
standing, or the foundation upon which the body rests. 
If our trust be placed in “the Giver of every good and per¬ 
fect gift,” we shall experience no weakness in these mem¬ 
bers; for we shall feel that the sustaining power is ever 
with us, to guide and direct our feet into the “paths of 
righteousness.” 

To what extent is this philosophy applicable to the 
young? Frequently children have diseases to which grown 
people seem also subject; and the questions are often 
asked: How can such a malady be the result of any fault 
or shortcoming on the part of so young a person? Why is 
it not possible for this disease to be the result of contagion 
or heredity? 


22 


New Thought Essays . 


The mind of a child may be likened to a sensitive plate. 
It is more easily acted upon by the thoughts of others than 
is the mind of an adult, especially if such thought-action 
proceed from the mother or nurse. Should a mother be¬ 
come very angry, her child may feel the influence to such 
a degree that a feverish condition would ensue almost im¬ 
mediately. The fears of parents often act injuriously upon 
the minds of their children, the thought-images in the minds 
of the former being telepathically transmitted to those of 
the latter. This is the true meaning of “heredity.” 

Heredity of thought is more powerful than heredity 
of blood. Most physiologists assert that there is an entire 
change in the organism of the body once in seven years, 
while some name a shorter time. Now, if we inherit a 
specific disease through the blood, it would be quite nat¬ 
ural to expect that, after seven, or fourteen, or twenty-one 
years, this ailment should be entirely eradicated. The 
fact remains, however, that many years later than the 
period last named, maladies that had afflicted the parents 
have appeared in the children, being classified as “heredi¬ 
tary diseases” by the medical profession. 

This idea of heredity is becoming rapidly displaced by 
another “discovery.” It is now almost universally con¬ 
ceded by the medical fraternity that the majority of the 
ailments formerly attributed to hereditary taint are caused 
by disease germs, or bacilli. Thus, even by medical au¬ 
thority, the belief in the transmission of disease through 
heredity is relegated to the past; it no longer plays an 
important part in orthodox diagnoses. Still, from the 
standpoint of mental science, heredity cannot be ignored. 
Every child undoubtedly receives an inheritance of mental 
pictures from the minds of its parents, which have a pro¬ 
nounced effect upon its life. The Bible may be taken lit¬ 
erally when it says that God shall visit “the iniquity of 
the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth 


The Mental Origin of Disease. 


2 ‘V 

<L> 

generation of them that hate” Him. Note particularly the 
clause that I have italicized. 

If a child has inherited evil (unwholesome) mental pic¬ 
tures, and in manhood still allows them to affect his life, 
his condition will be similar to that of his parents. If, on 
the other hand, he should realize that his true inheritance 
comes from God—that “every good and perfect gift” comes 
from his eternal Father—the false inheritance would lose 
its power; it would be overcome by the true. The only real, 
true, and eternal inheritance is from God. All others are 
but transitory and illusive. 

If jjarents would only realize the effect produced upon 
their children by their thoughts, they would be much more 
careful in their mental processes. The subject-matter in 
the mind of the parent influences the life of the child for 
good or ill. A child is ever prone to express his parents’ 
thought. Selfishness and greed, when seen in children,, 
are but the outward expression of identical qualities hid¬ 
den in the minds of the parents. A child is natural, and 
expresses just what he thinks. Up to a certain age he is 
the mere reflector of the thoughts of others; but a time 
comes (earlier with some children than with others) when 
he asserts his individuality, and claims the right to live his 
own life. While still affected by the thoughts of those 
surrounding him, and by the mental images produced by 
his parents, a child nevertheless soon begins to reason, to 
think, and to act for himself. Especially at this juncture 
he should meet with every encouragement. 

Many parents try to break the will of their offspring in 
order to make him conform to their wishes; but the wilful¬ 
ness of the child is often but a reproduction of that of the 
parents. If the latter consider it necessary to change a 
child’s will, they should attempt to do so only through love 
and gentleness. A child should receive a reason for doing, 
or for not doing, a certain thing, if he ask it from his 


24 


New Thought Essays . 


parent. It is his privilege, as fully as that of his elder. 
It is even more important in his case, for a grown person 
can often comprehend the reason without asking it, and 
without its being told. After telling a child to do a certain 
thing, and he asks why, it is not the proper and true way 
to deal with him to answer: “Because I told you to do so.” 
The child has both a thoughtful mind and a keen sense of 
justice. There is no doubt that, in regard to most ques¬ 
tions, we should deal more carefully with children than 
with grown people. How often are children punished 
while their parents are in a state of anger! How often 
would a parent refrain from punishment were he to wait 
until his anger subsided! Absolute justice is as necessary 
in dealing with a child as with an adult. 


MENTAL AND PHYSICAL CORRESPONDENCES. 


The law that demonstrates that force displays itself 
by working from within outward is the only rational ex¬ 
planation of the visible world. The form expressed by 
force is of no significance in our comprehension of the law. 
If followed from its origin outward, it will be cognized as 
but a sign or symbol corresponding to the thought within. 

If the human body corresponds to the mind within, 
does it fairly represent it? Or may we take into account 
the tension, resistance, and pressure of other things and 
conditions without? Such influences are impelled chiefly 
by human thought. We live in an atmosphere of thought- 
currents—of thought-vibrations. Unless, by the ^law of 
correspondence, there be that within our own mentality 
that corresponds to this disturbing thought-influence of 
others, no reflex action is possible from within to the 
human body without. Hence, we are the arbiters of our 
own destiny. We must place ourselves in perfect har¬ 
mony with the law, and build our house upon a foundation 
of rock.* 

Even the effect of ante-natal thought-influence upon 
the mentality of a child (evidenced upon its body) can be 
overcome by knowledge and practise of this law. Happi¬ 
ness may transfigure a countenance of very ordinary ap¬ 
pearance to one of beauty. Where there is beauty of form, 
interior harmony or beauty of thought must exist to a 

* “And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, 
and beat upon that house; and it fell not, for it was founded upon a 
rbck.”— Matt, vii., 25. 


26 


New Thought Essays . 


great extent. Perhaps for generations some peculiarly 
harmonious quality of mind has asserted itself, and, un¬ 
consciously adapting itself to the law, has produced the 
outer expression of a beautiful being. In turn, such 
beings, by cultivating discord and inharmony through 
adverse thought-action, can change their appearance and 
that of their posterity to imperfection. In each soul, how¬ 
ever, lies dormant the power to surmount these conditions, 
to free itself from the shackles placed upon it by other 
and stronger minds, to assert its sovereignty, and to blos¬ 
som under the sunlight of true thought into the bodily ex¬ 
pression of a perfectly ordered mind. Therefore, we can¬ 
not altogether hold others responsible for the effects of 
untrue thought-action upon our bodies. 

The principle of correspondence between mind and 
body is based as follows: Man is heaven within—earth 
without. The Divine spark dwells at the very centre of 
his being. His garment of clay, which is the outward 
manifestation of his being, belongs to all that is external 
in creation. Man unites within himself two worlds— 
the outer and the inner; but one law acts through both. 
The outer is the natural sequence of the inner, which is the 
vital spark, the enduring nature of man. All growth 
proceeds from this inner man. The outer is of itself noth¬ 
ing, i. e., it is entirely dependent on the inner being. Every 
change that affects it is the result either of growth or of 
lack of growth. The body is at best but a transitory mani¬ 
festation of mind. 

These two entities, the outer and the inner, appear to be 
separate; but they have a very real connection. The true 
correspondence of any outward condition is only to be 
found through a knowledge of its inner representative. 
The whole visible creation is but an expression of thought. 
All outward manifestation is but the symbol, or clothing 
of thought, which is constantly shaping for itself new ap- 


Mental and Physical Correspondences. 27 

parel. Man derives all knowledge, at first, through the 
medium of symbols. All spiritual teachers have, in the 
past, used symbols as a means of instruction. The spirit¬ 
ual plane is the plane of causes; the physical plane is the 
plane of results. Everything material proceeds from a 
spiritual cause. The process is, first, the forming of spir¬ 
itual thought in the mind of man; secondly, the consequent 
direct result evidenced in his nature. Materiality, there¬ 
fore, is the result of spiritual thought. Everything begins 
and ends in the being of man, who is an embodiment of 
the Spirit of God. 

The conditions of material life are transitory and 
changeable. Their forms lead from, and return to, the 
spiritual. This is the mystery of life: A process with an 
ever-changing form, visible in all things—whether of the 
mineral, vegetable, or animal kingdom. “One state is 
swiftly succeeded by another; there is no permanent state 
or condition of form.”* 

Let us now consider* the intimate relationship that 
exists between matter and spirit—body and mind. Meta¬ 
physical healing has fully demonstrated that the imaging 
faculty of man is responsible for all the ills from which he 
suffers. One disease is no more imaginary than another. 
Everything we do or think must first be imaged in the 
mind; hence, everything in the intellectual and physical 
man may be said to proceed from the imaging faculty. Our 
thoughts are first ideated, then expressed outwardly. 
The expression must correspond to the inner thought. If 
this is inflamed, inflammation will make itself felt in the 
body. If a person is given to thinking harsh, unkind 
thoughts, or saying cruel, cutting things—if he is sar¬ 
castic in his remarks—it will certainly be found that this 
mental state has produced neuralgia; or, if he is sensitive 
to the unkind remarks of others, the suffering experi- 

* Spencer: “Direction of Motion,” page 231. 


28 


New Thought Essays . 


enced inwardly will express itself outwardly in neuralgic 
pains. 

There is a fourfold action between mind and body that 
should be understood. The primary cause for everything 
originates in the mind, and thence works outwardly. First, 
the mind acts; this is followed, in turn, by a responsive 
action of blood and muscles; then comes mental reaction, 
which is followed by physical reaction—the body thus 
responding to the ever-varying moods of the mind. Con¬ 
sider as an illustration the action of anger. We know 
that this is a mental emotion, but note its instantaneous 
effect upon the blood and muscles. The heated and con¬ 
tracted mental state produces a corresponding physical 
state; and, according to the laws of being, the excessive 
action produces a corresponding reaction. When this re¬ 
action takes place, there is a decided lowering of tone in 
the mental condition of the angry person, which is inevit¬ 
ably followed by a weakened state of the body. This law 
applies equally to emotions other than anger. 

For everything real in life there is an unreal semblance, 
which is its contradiction. For every true impulse that 
enters the mind from the soul, there is a simulacrum 
that acts on the mind from without, producing a false emo¬ 
tion, which, in turn, tends to destroy the physical organ- 
'sm. One builds up; the other tears down. One works 
from the inner outward, while in the other this action is 
reversed. True emotion is caused by the inner impulse; 
its contradiction is caused by persons or conditions exter¬ 
nal to the personality. 

Wherever mental contraction is found, you will find its 
physical antitype. Muscular contraction is often caused 
by sorrow for loss of friends, or of money. Wherever loss 
is felt to a marked degree, corresponding contraction takes 
place in the body. Muscular rheumatism frequently re¬ 
sults from grief for the loss of friends. Paralysis is usually 


Mental and Physical Correspondences . 


29 


caused by mental shock. It may be regarded as a with¬ 
drawal of the life forces; i. e ., the blood, no longer flowing 
naturally throughout the body, fails to carry suffi¬ 
cient nourishment. Paralysis may be caused by different 
kinds of mental shock—anything that strikes deeply into 
the life of the individual. A failure in business often 
causes paralysis, the lower limbs in that case being 
affected to a great degree. The limbs correspond to the 
sustaining power; and, through the loss of money, the 
personality believes the sustaining power to be withdrawn. 
Sometimes, without shock, when the rest of the body seems 
perfectly well, the limbs lose their power of locomotion 
and refuse to carry the body. This is usually caused by 
the loss of friends or others upon whom the person was 
dependent, or by the loss of worldly goods. The true sus¬ 
taining power—the power that will sustain in any or every 
emergency—is to be found in the “One Source of Life,” the 
only Power that sustains us eternally. 

All the different senses have their inner correspond¬ 
ences. We see with our minds, and according to our 
mental vision will be our physical sight. A person with 
very little mentality may see clearly at a great distance 
as well as near at hand; but, regarding this and all other 
faculties, the plane to which the person belongs should 
be considered. Comparatively little is required of a per¬ 
son on the animal plane of existence. Obedience to the 
law on that plane is the only thing necessary; therefore, 
one who has advanced no further might be remarkably 
advanced, physically, without showing any different order 
of intelligence from that displayed by an animal. But 
even on that plane it is necessary to have all the wisdom 
of the animal kingdom; thus, throughout all the varying 
planes of thought, the outer must ever respond to the inner. 

Those w ho are “far-sighted” will be found to have some 
condition of mind corresponding to that weakness. ? A 


30 


Neiv Thought Essays . 


careful examination will show' that, regarding things apart 
from themselves, they can see clearly. Possibly they are 
interested in the welfare, habits, or customs of other na¬ 
tions; but concerning surrounding conditions and people 
they are blind, or form but a weak conception. A corre¬ 
spondence may be found between family neglect and this 
condition. The opposite condition, near-sightedness— 
whereby people see objects near at hand distinctly, but 
very indistinctly those at a distance—finds its correspond¬ 
ence in interests confined too close] y to family matters 
and an immediate circle of friends: thoughts that give but 
little if any attention to outside matters. Very often the 
conditions are inherited—the thoughts of the parents have 
left an impress on the mind of the child, and the latter, 
not having overcome these parental conditions, continues 
in the same line of thought. 

We should all see clearly, both at a distance and near 
at hand. In recognizing immediate duties, we should not 
be unmindful of the fact that we are members of one fam¬ 
ily; that each part of the human race is essential to all 
other parts, and vice versa . When our sight becomes 
clouded, and we see objects but dimly, we may become 
cognizant of the correspondence if we examine our own 
mental state. We are sure to recognize a decided limita¬ 
tion in our mental vision, and if we remove this condition 
our physical sight will quickly correspond, become im¬ 
proved, and in time fully restored. 

A change of sight attributed to advancing years pro¬ 
ceeds from an altered train of thought. With most per¬ 
sons the eyesight is better in youth and early manhood 
than in middle age. There are periods in life when the 
sight certainly changes. Dimness of vision occurring 
at middle age corresponds to a lack of mental perception 
regarding many things that were thought to have been 
clearly understood in the past. Instead of each day add- 


Mental and Physical Correspondences, 


31 


ing clearness to onr perception of their attributes, we find 
our ideas becoming more vague; we do not rely upon our 
own view, but resort to other means to have the subject 
placed more clearly before us. These methods correspond 
to sight derived from without, rather than from within; 
from books and from the minds of others, rather than 
from our own. Occasionally, aged people experience a 
renewal of sight; this corresponds to an awakening of the 
spiritual powers within—to the inner perception of truth. 

Many persons are said to hear better with one ear than 
with the other. This is easily explained. Some people 
care to hear only one side of a question—that on which 
their sympathies are enlisted; they are not willing to hear 
both sides. Again, there are persons that do not wish to 
be disturbed by having to listen to a recital of the sorrows 
of others. They consider it an advantage not to have 
their conscience ruffled by the knowledge that such mis¬ 
fortunes exist; accordingly, they close their ears, harden 
their hearts, and go through the world in total disregard 
of the welfare of their fellow^-men. 

The relationship between the blood and its circulation 
is of great interest; for the blood symbolizes the Principle 
of Life, which is in all and through all. Soul-impulses 
acting on the blood produce a healing influence; purity of 
thought begets purity of blood; true mental action causes 
the blood to flow normally throughout the body. Condi¬ 
tions acting on us from the outer world are largely respon¬ 
sible for mental impurity and improper circulation of the 
blood. A disturbed circulation can nearly always be at¬ 
tributed to the emotions. 

One who thinks to excess will find that such action 
produces an untrue movement of the blood, causing it to 
flow unduly to the head. The brain demands both rest 
and nourishment. The circulation should tend as much to 
one part of the body as to another. True circulation is 


32 


New Thought Essays. 


effected through an even development, so that no one fac¬ 
ulty shall predominate. All unpleasant emotions have an 
adverse action on the blood. Anger, hate, malice, etc., so 
poison the blood that it cannot give the desired nourish¬ 
ment to the body. It is not the food we eat, but the 
thoughts we think, that produce impure blood. “Not that 
which goeth into the mouth defileth a man,” but out of 
the mind proceed evil thoughts, which defile the blood. 
Keep the thoughts pure, and the blood will be correspond¬ 
ingly pure. Control all unreal, emotional conditions 
through the higher understanding. Digest that which is 
essential to your highest welfare, and the mental digestion 
will become physical; the food eaten will digest thor¬ 
oughly, become assimilated, converted into blood, and 
serve to nourish and strengthen the body. A pure, un¬ 
selfish mental and moral life purifies the physical life. 
Strong thoughts make strong bodies. 


THE IMAGING FACULTY. 


The limitations of mind may be more clearly defined 
than is generally supposed. Mind is an outgrowth of the 
soul, as the body is an outgrowth of mind. Mind is that 
aspect of being that relates man to the world of form. In 
every phase of action it deals with form; so that every 
thought conceived by man images itself in his mind. 

Chief, then, among all the mental faculties is this power 
to image ; and it may truly be said that every thought we 
think contains within itself a picture, and, further, that 
these thought-pictures affect the body either for health 
and strength, or for sickness and disease. 

We are acted upon in two ways—by the force of life 
within and by the forms of life without; hence it may be 
said that man lives in two worlds. Besides the material 
consciousness of life, there is also a spiritual consciousness. 
There is something within man which transcends his sense- 
nature, and even his intellectual and reasoning powers— 
something that reaches far deeper into the inner conscious¬ 
ness of life, which we might denominate the intuitive (spir¬ 
itual) nature. It was to that “something” that the Apostle 
Paul referred when he said: “For the word of God is quick 
and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, 
piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, 
and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the 
thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Heb. iv. 12.) This is 
the word of God that is trying to make itself felt in the 
lives of men—the Word that became fully manifested in 
the life of Jesus the Christ. 


34 


New Thought Essays. 


As man listens to the voice of the Higher coming from 
this inner consciousness of life, he has a sense of being re¬ 
lated to everything. This inner feeling makes him desir¬ 
ous of doing good to all; it has the effect of causing him to 
see things in their true relations, so that his mind becomes 
filled with the harmonies of life; and, in turn, the thoughts 
pictured in mind produce harmony and strength of body. 

The abstract qualities of faith, hope, and love, while 
unpicturable in and of themselves, have yet the effect of 
becoming associated w T ith the forms of life: so that the 
mind, being acted upon by these invisible impulses of 
being, images only things harmonious and beautiful. 
Then, again, there is the action on the mind from the world 
without. We find that here the unity of life is lost sight 
of; and the mind of man, having many things of seemingly 
opposite natures to contend with, questions the good and 
evil of these varying conditions. Many of these states 
produce in the mind feelings of resentment, avarice, anger, 
hate, etc.; in fact, all the evil emotions that affect the mind 
come from seeing things in wrong relationship to one an¬ 
other. They all come from the outer world—from things 
that seem discordant. 

Now, the external world is not to be viewed as evil; 
nothing is evil in and of itself. Evil is the result of the 
false imaginings we indulge in; it is our partial way of 
considering things; it is a reversal of the true method of 
thinking, which works from the inner outward. 

All the different mental conditions emanate from the 
imaging faculty, and by its proper control and direction 
we may achieve results in every way beneficial. In its 
true development w r e will find certain processes to be of 
great assistance. If we form the mental image after the 
true impulse, which enters the mind from the soul, the pict¬ 
ure will be more nearly perfect than that which should 
come solely from external surroundings. Love for things 


The Imaging Faculty . 


35 


pure and beautiful is first an inner state; but this will inev¬ 
itably find its perfect correspondence in the world without. 
This applies both to persons and things. The abstract 
must associate itself with the concrete; but the abstract 
exists first. It would not be possible to convey by any 
mental image the idea of love to a mind that never felt its 
influence; neither could we make known the qualities of 
faith and hope, through word-pictures, to a mind that had 
never felt them. These are soul feelings, which transcend 
all mental action. 

Two words may be used to express states of conscious¬ 
ness that act in very different ways upon the imaging fac¬ 
ulty. These words are impulse and emotion. The former 
is used in a sense that refers to such qualities as faith, hope, 
and love, or that which enters the mind from the soul. The 
latter is that “something” produced by outward causes— 
persons or environment. 

It is noticeable that the most sublime and exalted 
human feelings are not the result of outside influences, 
but proceed from impulses within the soul. On the other 
hand, the lowest and most degraded sentiment is attribut¬ 
able either to other persons or to external conditions. 
Take, for instance, the action of a true impulse on the 
heart: it causes the blood to circulate more evenly and vig¬ 
orously throughout the whole system. Where the circu¬ 
lation is imperfect, it proves that the emotions rather than 
the impulses are the mental directing forces. Emotions 
are caused by selfishness; they are of a personal character. 
Impulses are caused by the higher nature of man, and are 
of a universal character. Consider the action of emotions 
on the stomach. This organ is affected by everything in 
the outer world, and especially by our environment and the 
people with whom we associate; thus, when the mind 
becomes filled with bitterness toward persons or condi¬ 
tions, we find the physical expression of acidity in the 


36 


'Neio Thought Essays. 


stomach. Consider also the action of faith and trust on 
the liver and spleen. It renders their functions normally 
active, while worry and anxiety, which are emotions pro¬ 
ceeding from external causes, always occasion the reverse. 

A majority of people attribute biliousness and other 
so-called liver troubles to improper food and drink, assert¬ 
ing that there is a reflex action upon the mind that in¬ 
duces despondency and gloom. But it is really immaterial 
what a man eats or drinks; he is superior to all exterior 
conditions. Relieve the mind of a bilious person from 
anxiety and worry, and fill it with hope and trust—let his 
surroundings and actions be bright and cheerful—and a 
healthful physical condition will result. It may be diffi¬ 
cult at first to bring this about; but persistency until the 
habit is formed will soon cause the mind to become related 
to all other hopeful minds, and in the end it will be easier 
to continue in the new mental conditions than to revert to 
the old. 

The spiritual consciousness, as already said, imparts 
the thought of the unity of life—that all force and all intel¬ 
ligence are one, and therefore that every form must neces¬ 
sarily be an expression of the inner force. Thus we should 
carry the thought of unity into the outer world, and see 
things in their true proportions—by reasoning from cause 
to effect. Material consciousness of life, losing sight of 
the whole and dealing with everything in part, sees nothing 
but diversity; all sense of proportion is lost, and the per¬ 
sonal self becomes the greater. The things that gratify 
and seemingly do good to the personality are looked upon 
as the good things of life, while whatever thwarts or inter¬ 
feres with personal desire is regarded as evil, and all such 
outer evils become states of consciousness that are imaged 
or pictured in mind. 

Every thought we think, then, whether it be true or 
false, as imaged in mind, must be expressed on the body. 


The Imaging Faculty . 


37 


Health and happiness come from an imagination directed 
and controlled by the highest that is within man, while 
mental discord and physical disease are the resultants of 
an untrained and uncontrolled imagination. “Imagina¬ 
tion rules the world,” said Napoleon; but we must remem¬ 
ber that the world for each and all of us to rule is that of 
mind and body. This world, rightly ruled, will have a 
beneficent effect on the greater world about us. Perfect 
dominion and control of this world of ours can never ensue 
so long so we picture in mind things that are contrary to 
our knowledge of good. 

We should bring every thought into subjection, so that 
each one shall be pure, bright, and uplifting. The mind 
that pictures to itself sin, sickness, and disease, must con¬ 
tinue to dwell in these states, and the body will be fash¬ 
ioned after the mind. The Christ gospel is the proclaim¬ 
ing of glad tidings, and we should carry glad tidings with 
us. Our every thought should be fashioned by the love, the 
hope, and the faith of life. We should rise above contra¬ 
dictory states of being—above the discord and unrest of 
material consciousness. 

What we wish to be or to do in this world we must get 
clearly imaged in mind. Whenever we want to impress 
anything on other minds, we must have that picture clear 
and distinct in our own; and in order to make it effectual 
we must hold it before our mental vision so that the picture 
becomes virtually a part of us. By this method we get the 
true action of will to make effectual the thought we have 
idealized. Everything that man makes is thought into 
existence; and the more the imaging faculty is developed 
the more expression we find in the outer world. We see it 
expressed in more abundant statuary, paintings, and 
books; in public buildings, gardens, parks, and dwellings. 
Everything that man fashions or gives expression to in the 
outer world is first imaged in mind—and according to the 


38 


New Thought Essays. 


image will be the expression. And it is so with our 
thoughts on all the matters of life. Harmony of thought 
and strength of purpose will and must find their expression 
in strength of body and perfection of form. 


HOW WE MAKE OUR ENVIRONMENT. 


In connection with the imaging faculty, we should 
consider environment and its effects on the life of man. The 
world is just what we make it: heaven would come to us 
here and now if we would become truly related to our 
environment. To illustrate my meaning, let me relate an 
incident that occurred some years ago. 

I was one of a number of persons that were seated in a 
large, pleasant room. Pictures of merit were on the walls, 
and beautiful bric-a-brac was displayed in an artistic 
manner about the place, the whole giving an air of comfort, 
if not luxury. Outdoors the autumn winds played havoc 
with the leaves, and at intervals the rain fell in torrents. 
A lady was seated at one of the windows looking out on 
the scene—a frown darkening an otherwise pretty face. 
While she sat there, another lady entered the room. The 
visitor had been out in the storm and the rain was dripping 
from her garments, but her face was bright and happy. 
The lady who had been sitting near the window arose and 
greeted her, remarking: “What a horrible day it is to be 
out in—nothing but rain, wind, and black clouds!” The 
other replied: “Why, my dear, the sun has been shining all 
day—at least I have thought it was!” After a few min¬ 
utes* conversation she went out once more in the storm, 
tranquil and happy, while the other lady turned to one of 
the company, remarking: “I think Mrs. Blank has gone 
crazy since she has taken up mental science. The ab¬ 
surdity of her saying that the sun had been shining all 
day, and such a miserable day as this has been, too!” 


40 


New Thought Essays . 


One of these ladies had been in a bright, cheerful room, 
without any so-called physical discomfort; the other had 
been out in rain and wind. Which of the two was crazy? 
I leave that for the reader to decide; but there can be no 
question as to which was getting the more happiness out 
of life. 

After all, the heaven within shapes the heaven without; 
beauty of thought relates itself to things beautiful in the 
outer world, and refuses to see the discordant side of life. 
Inner harmony recognizes the outer harmony. “To the 
pure, all things are pure.” People are continually finding 
fault with their environment, and feeling that in some 
way they are not getting their just dues, when they are 
actually reaping the fruit of the seed they themselves 
have sown. 

As we are going to try to view all sides of our subject, 
let us begin with the physical. We live in a country where 
there are extremes of heat and cold; where one season 
follows another in quick succession; where summer’s lux¬ 
urious foliage disappears before the blasts of coming 
winter, and the grassy meadow is soon hidden by the snow. 
Each season, however, seems necessary in the grand econ¬ 
omy of Nature; each has its own peculiar beauty and pleas¬ 
ure. It is characteristic of human nature that one person 
will love the springtime best of all the seasons, while 
another rejoices in summer; another finds the autumn most 
suited to his pleasures and needs, while still others think 
they get most out of winter. If one person could combine 
within himself these varying valuations of the different 
seasons, or could learn to adapt himself to the different 
changes of climate, etc., greater happiness of mind and 
uniformity of satisfaction throughout the year would 
result. 

When we recognize the many likes and dislikes regard¬ 
ing these things, we are led to ask: Are different condi- 


How We Malce Our Environment . 


41 


tions and feelings the results of the seasons, or are they 
due to the way in which people relate themselves to the 
seasons? Persons that believe only in the material side of 
life will say that “constitution” is at the bottom of the 
matter, and that a “delicate” constitution will thrive 
better in one season than in another. Just here we might 
ask, What makes a constitution delicate or otherwise? We 
will not stop to discuss this question now; but will say that 
we must look to man’s mental conditions, rather than the 
physical, to find the reasons for a weak and delicate or a 
strong and robust constitution. 

One thing to be observed in the study of environment is 
that anything man fears possesses (for him) a certain 
amount of evil. He looks on things as good or evil as they 
seem to affect his own life for one or the other condition. 
If he believes that through dampness, draught, or sudden 
change of temperature, he has “taken cold” or has some 
other physical ailment, then these things fill his mind with 
fear and are regarded by him as evil. It is the mental con¬ 
ception that makes a thing good or bad, and the evil thing 
has always a bad effect on the body, while the good thing 
has always the opposite effect. It is easy to see, then, in 
the light of this, the reason for the expression, “What is 
one man’s food is another man’s poison.” 

At certain times we go out in the cold air and feel very 
chilly; again, when it is much colder the weather seems to 
have no effect upon us. In summer there are times when 
we feel the heat much more than at others. The fact is 
that when the mind is in a state of poise we offer greater 
resistance to heat and cold. A mind that is at peace with 
itself will offer far greater resistance to sickness and dis¬ 
ease of all kinds than one that is filled with discord. 

The mental attitude we should assume, then, in order 
to get in tune with our physical surroundings, would seem 
to be as follows: First, all the seasons are necessary, and 


42 


New Thought Essays. 


whatever is necessary must be good. Again, allow the 
mind to dwell on the beauty and grandeur of Nature in all 
her moods—in sunshine and cloud, in calm and storm; feel 
that you are at one with all, that the Power that brought 
you into existence is making itself manifest in all. In other 
words, become one with the whole force of life, and realize 
that all things are working together for good. Kejoice in 
the sunshine and in the storm: the same energy acts in 
both. God as truly covers the earth with snow as with 
grass. “Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto 
night showeth knowledge.” All we see about us in the 
material world are God’s words moulded into visible forms, 
and if we w T ould only become truly related to these forms 
they would all serve to strengthen us. 

The wrong thoughts we image in mind (which relate us 
to environment in the false way) are the things that tend 
to weaken our bodies and to fill our minds with fear and 
unrest. We should try to see the bright and the true side 
of things in the outer world, and should cease grumbling 
about the weather—it only makes it seem worse when we 
take that course. Let us make life happier and better 
worth the living by pointing out the good that comes from 
what heretofore we have looked upon as evil; we thus shall 
make a new environment for ourselves in this wondrously 
beautiful world we live in. 

Secondly, the way we become related to people is a 
question to which we may have given little if any thought; 
but on the true relationship of life depends all that is here 
worth having. The world about us takes on brightness or 
gloom precisely as we are related in the true or false way 
to life. The thoughts we think and the habits formed 
through thought processes are the causes that operate for 
freedom or bondage. Through unreal mental pictures— 
the false imaginings of life—we are building about us 
walls that shut out all natural light and freedom; and, 


How We Make Our Environment . 


43 


having shut ourselves in, we complain of our environment, 
when, with the assistance of the people with whom we 
have become falsely related, we have made it just what it 
is, or rather what it seems to be. 

How, then, we ask, is environment made? We make 
the false variety through allowing the mind to picture 
unreal states of existence. We become related to the weak 
and diseased side of life by thinking thoughts of weakness 
and disease for ourselves and others. Our thought reaches 
out and unites with such thought the world over, so that all 
the weak and diseased people on the globe become our 
nearest relations; our thought acts on them and theirs 
reacts on us, and so it all goes to swell the discordant 
thought of the world. Again, thoughts of poverty and 
want enter the mind and invariably seek their own level, 
and the seed planted brings its inevitable harvest of pov¬ 
erty and want. Or we send out the vultures of slander, 
malice, hate, jealousy, and revenge, hoping thereby to 
injure others and rejoice ourselves; but the eternal law of 
God stands in the way, and we are made to realize that 
“whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap,” and 
the shame and misery we had hoped to heap on others have 
returned to curse our own lives. Karma acts. Well said 
the Master: “Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of 
thistles?” 

Again, we allow our minds to become filled with anx¬ 
ious thoughts; we worry over the little things of life and 
become still more apprehensive over the great things. And 
yet we know, if we would only take time to think, that 
these mental states do not better our condition in any way. 
Indeed, they bring to us the very things we fear; for it is 
a fact that the things we dread are attracted to us just 
as surely as those we love. Thus we continue to build up 
an environment and become more and more discontented 
with the result of our labors. “The hand that smites thee 
is thine own.” 


44 


New Thought Essays. 


Life is what we make it; if we have filled it with gloom 
and discord in the past, so that all the happiness and 
health (wholeness) has departed from it, we have the power 
within ourselves, if we will to use it, to correct the errors 
of the past by forming new relationships, which shall work 
for righteousness and truth, creating for us in turn a new 
environment. Thoughts are living entities, which inevit¬ 
ably clothe themselves with form. Control and direction 
of thought are the prime requisites. Whatever you wish 
to be or to do, picture that ideal clearly in mind, and then 
will to have it take form. 

“I WILL be what I WILL to be.” We can safely take 
this ground when our wills are in harmony with the univer* 
sal Will. When we are willing the things that are good 
and true; when we are thinking thoughts of health and 
strength, of kindness and goodness—thoughts that are 
beautiful and harmonious—they are going forth from us 
to unite us with the health-giving, hopeful, courageous 
thought of the world. We are not only beautifying and 
strengthening our own lives, but are giving health and 
happiness to others; and the more we give the more we 
shall have to give. 

The world about us is a great vineyard, and the 
thoughts w^e think are the seeds we plant. Every seed will 
bear fruit after its kind. If we sow the seed of the thorn 
and the thistle, we reap thorns and thistles; if we sow the 
seed of kind thoughts, words, and deeds, we shall reap 
according as we have sown, “for whatsoever a man soweth, 
that shall he also reap.” 


THE EVOLUTION OF POWER. 


Janus, the two-faced god of Roman mythology, was 
believed to be the janitor of heaven, and on earth the 
guardian deity of gates and doors. Numa Pompilius 
called the first month of the Roman year after Janus, and 
dedicated a covered passage near the Forum to him. 
This passage contained a statue of the god, and had two 
entrances, which were always kept open in time of war 
and closed in time of peace. 

While the Janus of mythology has been relegated to 
oblivion, and is no longer worshiped, yet we find an 
exact correspondence between the Roman deity and the 
mind of man. The human mind is the janitor of 
heaven and has the keys of the doors of earth. Mind is 
the servant of the soul and master of the things “here 
below.” It stands between the world of force, on the 
one hand, and the world of expression on the other. It 
is double-faced in that it has the power to unlock the 
gates of the inner life and to solve the mysteries of the 
outer. When both passages are kept open, it receives 
on one hand and gives on the other. There is an influx 
of life from the soul that manifests itself in the world 
of form. 

Life on this plane of expression may be likened to a 
battle-field. The kingdom of heaven is taken by vio¬ 
lence. Through struggle and suffering is man perfected; 
through weakness his power is made manifest. Now, the 
Janus that sits midway in the passage must see that both 
doorways are kept open during the battle, so that he may 


46 


New Thought Essays . 


receive light from each. The exercise of certain qualities 
of mind are necessary in order to succeed in this. Three 
great essentials may be summed up in three words: 
meditation, contemplation, and concentration. 

(1) Meditation is the entering into the inner conscious¬ 
ness of life; the communing with God; the becoming 
one with the eternal Source and Fount of life. It is 
purely subjective, dealing alone with the spiritual side of 
being. Here the mind receives its force and power and is 
acted upon by the causes of life. Life, in all true medita¬ 
tion, is one . Personality and the myriad things of the 
outer world are lost sight of; the spirit in man and the 
universal Spirit blend in the unity of life, so that God 
lives in the life of man and man lives in the life of God. 
But this inner force must find expression—must make 
itself manifest; and the human mind becomes the vehicle 
for its manifestation. With the force and power acquired 
in the inner life, the passage-way of the outer world is 
opened. 

(2) The mind uses another faculty—concentration— 
to make manifest that which it has received. Concentra¬ 
tion is neither force nor power; yet, without it, man can¬ 
not manifest either force or power in the outer world. 
Lacking in concentration, the mind dissipates the force 
acquired in the inner world. We may take a sun-glass 
and allow the rays of the sun to pass aimlessly through 
it; the force passes through the glass but produces no 
visible manifestation. When we bring the rays to a focus, 
however, power begins to manifest itself. The glass and 
the focus are not power, but they serve as means by which 
the expression of force becomes a visible reality; in other 
words, the invisible produces its action on the visible. So 
with concentration of the mind: of itself, it is neither 
power nor force; but it is the vehicle through which comes 
the greatest expression of force and power. Concentra- 


The Evolution of Power. 


47 


tion deals always with the objective; it concerns itself 
with the things of the outer world. 

(3) The third faculty is contemplation, which, to a 
degree, unites the other two faculties. Contemplation 
may partake of both inner and outer impressions; it is 
the connecting link between meditation and concentra¬ 
tion. In the contemplative state, the mind may be said to 
go easily to one point or the other. It may be compared 
to the time of peace, when the gates of the passage of 
Janus were closed. It is the point of poise between the 
inner and the outer—when there is a cessation of activity; 
but this cessation is not lasting, for the mind alternately 
acquires force and power in the inner world and uses it in 
the outer. 

It is well to know that power is not acquired in the 
outer world; that concentration can never, in and of itself, 
give power; that if the mind engages itself exclusively 
with the things of the outer world, no matter how great 
the concentration may be on this plane of action, a time 
will surely come when the mental energies will become 
dissipated and fruitless. Concentration in the outer 
world, with no meditation in the inner world, will inev¬ 
itably produce the condition known as “paresis,” or a 
kindred malady. In fact, concentration of mind may 
become a factor in the more speedy development of seri¬ 
ous mental and physical troubles. Every faculty of mind 
has been given to man with a wise object in view—its 
perfect development, or development according to the 
divine laws of Being. Every faculty may be used (in the 
true way) to bring about its perfection; but it also lies 
within the province of man to pervert it, and through such 
perversion to express in a discordant way the things of life. 

I should say, therefore, to those desiring to develop 
concentration of mind: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God 
and his righteousness,” and concentration (with all other 


48 


New Thought Essays. 


needed tilings) will be added. The kingdom of God is 
found in the world of cause. The expression of God’s 
kingdom may be without, but the power is within. The 
desire of the mind should be, that it may have a greater 
realization of the power of God in its own life; that it may 
become the true servant of the soul; and that, through 
coming in touch with the inner life-forces and knowledge 
acquired in the world of cause, it may use the keys to 
unlock all the doors of the outer, disclosing the power it 
has received from within in such a way that its action shall 
be beneficial in the world without. 

“Enter into thy closet, and . . . shut thy door.” 

Itealize that the power of God is one; that “all is of God 
that is, or is to be, and God is good.” Let your life become 
filled with this thought of unity—of goodness; then in the 
power of your might enter the realm of effect, or outer 
(visible) world, and “whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, 
do it with thy might.” The light received from the inner 
world will transform and illuminate the mind, so that 
each mental picture you conceive will have the halo of 
the inner life thrown about it, and the will of God shall 
be manifested in the outer world as in the inner. 

The way of life is straight and narrow. It is not 
complex, as many would make it. It is knowing that the 
source of all power is in God, and that in our inner, con¬ 
scious life, through true meditation, we draw from this 
one Source. 

Again, through contemplation and true mental ima¬ 
gery of the things of the outer world, the mind becomes 
centered and uses its forces as needed on the external 
plane. While concentration is not force , it may yet be said 
to conserve force in such a way that it is not dissipated 
without accomplishing its purpose. 

In the evolution of power, something other than the 
faculties already mentioned assists in determining whether 


The Evolution of Power. 


49 


the knowledge acquired in the inner world shall be ex¬ 
pressed outwardly in part or in whole. The true or the 
false action of will must determine this. Will is the 
great executive power of the universe. But, as a later 
paper will be devoted entirely to this subject, we need not 
stop here to define it. I wish only to speak at present of 
its action on the life of man. 

Every faculty of mind and every organ of the body is 
dependent on the will. It makes itself felt in everything 
that we do. As its force is directed aright, it strengthens 
both mind and body. The more powerful it becomes, the 
more character is evolved. Meditation is the door to the 
inner life; concentration is the door to the outer: but will 
is the very force of life itself. Entering by the inner door, 
it passes through the outer. 

Great as the will undoubtedly is, however, its true 
direction depends on our divine intelligence. There is a 
spirit in man that guides the action of will; hence, in the 
individual soul, this faculty conforms perfectly to the law 
of its existence when under guidance of the spirit of 
truth. The freedom and power of the will, in individual 
life, consists in its conformity to the law of God. The 
bondage and weakness of the will come solely through its 
being led by the spirit of the world—choosing the shadow 
of things in preference to the reality. “He who runs may 
read.” There are but two ways. The will must choose 
between them. There is no other alternative. Following 
the true course, or willing to be led by the law of the spirit 
of truth, brings a conscious recognition of our union with 
all Power. It brings the realization that we are one with 
the Energy that brought us into conscious, individual 
existence; that the life of man is not in any sense separate 
or detached from God; and that to know God is eternal 
life and power. 


FOOD FOE MIND AND BODY. 


When Jesus said: “Man shall not live by bread alone, 
but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of 
God,” he implied that food other than material is neces¬ 
sary in the life of man. In the light of this, the question 
of food becomes of marked importance. 

Before turning our attention to physical food, let us 
briefly consider the food that Jesus speaks of as the “'word 
of God.”' In our understanding of this subject, we must 
see that this “word” is not to be found written in books 
or spoken by man. Only as the soul has awakened to a 
knowledge of its real self, is it possible to discern the im¬ 
press of God’s word on the printed page or in the verbal 
utterance. The God that speaks to man is the indwelling 
Divine Presence in each individual life; and this speaks 
rather through states of feeling than in words. “The 
pure in heart shall see God.” 

As we show forth these inner states, we reflect the 
Divine Image. Every soul is a word, and through the 
communion and unity of these the word of God in its 
largest sense is best understood. Through soul commu¬ 
nion—a realization of the unity existing between God and 
man—the soul is fed. The soul is the “Word” that was in 
the beginning with God, from whom come all things. We 
mean this in the larger sense—the Universal Soul that be¬ 
comes individualized in the life of man. True soul com¬ 
munion must never be regarded in any personal sense. 
It is, as it were, the losing of self and the becoming at one 
with the Soul of the Universe. In this state the indi- 


Food for Mind and Body. 


51 


vicinal soul receives nourishment necessary for its fullest 
expression. This soul nourishment has its consequent 
action upon the mind of man, transforming and illuminat¬ 
ing his thought so that the forms of life take on a new 
meaning, and the world becomes filled with a brightness 
that could have no existence if it were not for the influx 
from the spiritual side of life into the mental and material 
side. 

Thus we see that the real bread of life—the true suste¬ 
nance of humanity—is not in the outer form, but rather in 
the inner word; and this latter has its effect upon the 
whole life of man, finding its ultimate expression in the 
shaping of the physical form. 

The body, or physical organism, is a house that we 
have builded for our special needs while on this plane of 
existence. In order to do this, it is necessary that we 
should draw from the things of the material world; and, 
while the soul is its builder, yet the body is of the earth, 
earthy, and the things essential in its construction and 
reconstruction must be drawn from the world of forms. 
If the mind were always under the direction of the inner 
word, the body would take on perfect form, expressing 
health and strength; but, because the mind is content 
with drawing what it believes to be needful from the outer 
world, regardless of the inner, our bodies do not always 
express what we should desire. Sometimes the expres¬ 
sion is that of weakness—sometimes that of disease. 

The mind, not being nourished in the true way, cannot 
rightly supply the needs of the physical form. The body 
is strengthened and perfected only as the mind is renewed 
by the inner word. If man’s mind were only under the 
complete direction of the inner word, a weak or diseased 
body would be impossible: for the force of life moving 
from its center outward would bring perfection of mind 
and body, and the food necessary to build up the physical 


52 


New Thought Essays. 


form would be of a kind and quality that would supply 
each and every need of the external man. Such is not at 
present the state of the majority of mankind; but this is 
no reason why it should not be attained. 

When the force of life is directed through knowledge 
and understanding, the question of material food will not 
be so dominant as at present. Indigestion and dyspepsia 
will be things of the past. If man exercised half the care 
in the selection of his mental food, and the source from 
which that food is drawn, that he displays in the choosing 
of his physical nourishment, the results w'ould prove far 
more beneficial. But his investigations are invariably on 
the surface, and he chooses to deal wfith effects rather than 
causes. The w^rong mental desire finds its expression in 
the imperfect selection of material food. Looking upon 
this food as the cause of many physical ills, he seeks to 
bring about a better bodily state through foregoing cer¬ 
tain kinds of food, and cultivating a taste for others. 
One after another, however, they fail to bring the required 
good. Just so long as the wrong desires are retained in 
the mind will the physical indigestion and lack of true 
assimilation continue. 

Many persons would have us believe that the different 
kinds of food we eat or refrain from eating have a ten¬ 
dency to make us spiritual-minded—some taking the 
ground that vegetables and cereals are ideal food for 
the perfect development of the physical man, others claim¬ 
ing that fruits and nuts are all that is necessary for the 
welfare of the body. That these positions are true I can¬ 
not believe. Man may live on any kind of food without 
its having any effect in spiritualizing his life. It is the 
true impulse that brings the true desire, which in turn 
brings the true expression. We cannot reverse this order 
and get the true results of life. 

I do not think that animal food is necessary to give 
health or strength to our bodies—that conscious life must 


Food for Mind and Body. 


53 


lose its own form in order to perpetuate the form of man. 
The animal has as much right to exist, and in its limited • 
way to get as much enjoyment out of life, as man himself; 
but, so long as we believe that animal flesh is necessary 
for the welfare of the body, it will continue to be used, 
regardless of the pain and suffering inflicted. I believe 
there can be no question that there is a reflex action result¬ 
ing from all this cruelty. The pain we inflict on the 
animal inevitably comes back to us, causing both anguish 
of mind and pain of body. 

I have a theory, which may or may not be true, as to 
this reflex action. It is well known that the fibrin, or 
vital part of animal blood, is, or seems to be, indestructi¬ 
ble. Subject it to whatever test you may, and its vital 
force is not destroyed. Conditions being right, from this 
fibrin proceeds the construction of new forms, two condi¬ 
tions only being necessary (w armth and moisture), and the 
rebuilding begins. Another fact, not so well known but 
equally true, is that the condition of fear in man or animal 
affects the blood; and when we think of the animals that 
are daily destroyed in the wmrld’s slaughter-houses, and 
reflect that the sense of fear of loss of life, or rather loss 
of form, is just as strong in animals as in men, is it to be 
wondered at that this state of fright should leave its 
impress on the blood, thence to be transmitted to the 
minds of men? 

Why is it that meat-eating people are so fearful of the 
loss of the body? We say that they are the bravest, that 
they are the best “fighters,” that they have a greater 
hold on life; yet they are certainly more fearful of losing 
their physical existence than those that live on fruits, 
cereals, and vegetables. Again, may not this “fighting” 
characteristic proceed from the animal, w'hich in a sense 
has been perpetuated by assimilating the fibrin of its 
blood, so that we are unconsciously continuing an animal 
existence through the sustaining of the body by flesh food? 


54 


New Thought Essays . 


It may be asserted here that I am inconsistent in tak¬ 
ing this position after having said that the food eaten by 
a man cannot of itself make him spiritual or bring about 
a higher state of existence; but, while these outer condi¬ 
tions do not affect the soul of man, yet there is a definite 
action on both mind and body, and mind cannot become 
spiritualized save as the soul qualities flow into it. Every¬ 
thing in the outer world, being related to every other 
thing, must affect and be affected by every other thing in 
the outer world. Now, as the true relationship is estab¬ 
lished from the inner (or higher) state of being, we have 
the perfect harmony of life; but if the relationship be es¬ 
tablished through purely mental and selfish objects, for 
gratification of the personality, then such relationship, 
being discordant, inevitably brings with it evil effects. 

A question that may arise at this point in the minds 
of many is, If spirit alone is the creative power, how can 
the fibrin of the blood bring about the construction of new 
forms? I would say in reply that the life principle is in 
all and through all; and the creative jjrinciple is in the 
fibrin—iust as much in the life of the animal as in that 
of man, though not expressed to the same degree. We 
cannot conceive of anything in the universe in which this 
creative force is not found. We must not look upon the 
fibrin, or the outer form, as the constructive or creative 
agent; but we cannot fail to see that the fibrin must enter 
into and be incorporated in the physical form of man, if 
that form, under the influence or direction of mind, is 
nourished by the blood of the animal. In the light of this 
we may be able to understand why Moses (Lev. xvii. 11) 
commanded that the children of Israel should not eat of 
the blood of any animal, giving as a reason, “for the life 
of the flesh is in the blood.” 

Abstinence from animal food while the mental desire 
for it remains is not going to prove helpful either to mind 
or body. Desire for anything keeps us related thereto, 


Food for Mind and Body. 


5 & 


as well as to all other minds having the same desire. 
Hence, desire is the thing to be changed, rather than the 
expression of it in the outer habit. With the disappear¬ 
ance of this mental state will go the thing that corresponds 
to it. All strong mental desires assume form (find ex¬ 
pression) sooner or later in the physical world; conse¬ 
quently, if we wish to replace wrong physical conditions 
by true ones, we must begin with motive. Does the motive 
proceed from the inner world of being, fashioned by the 
spiritual force of life, or is it produced by external things? 
This is a question we should ask ourselves, for on the 
answer will depend the expression taken by the form in 
the outer w r orld. 

The varying mental states produce the physical hunger 
that is gratified by the nourishment that comes to us from 
without. Take the mind that is satiated with things of 
the world—the mind that fails to recognize or to get good 
from the people and things that constitute its environ¬ 
ment—and we find that desire for food is wanting. On 
the other hand, a mind that is eager for knowledge and 
sees things continually in new lights—a mind that digests 
and assimilates—invariably accompanies a good physical 
appetite, the possessor of which relishes his food. Take 
also the simple-minded man: he will get more enjoyment 
from simple food than from all the so-called luxuries of 
the table. Wherever the animal nature predominates in 
man, we find the desire for animal food; and if this nature 
is vigorous, it will require such food in abundance.' 

With the awakening of the spiritual nature comes a 
change in the desires concerning physical food, many 
things being laid aside and entirely new ones being sub¬ 
stituted. This process may be altogether unconscious, 
but it takes place just as surely as if it were a conscious 
act. There is no violent or sudden change—it may be 
hardly perceptible; but little by little the change goes on. 
The amount of food required to nourish the body becomes 


56 


New Thought Essays. 


less and less, so that to many it would seem as if the per¬ 
son were literally starving himself. Such, however, is not 
the case; but the little he eats is digested and thoroughly 
assimilated. 

At this point I wish to introduce another theory, which 
may be true or otherwise, but I can find no reasonable 
ground on which to discredit it. I apprehend that the 
air about us contains all things needful for the replenish¬ 
ing of the human form; that all we eat and drink is to be 
found in the atmosphere; that, as man’s desires are 
affected by the higher impulses of life, each desire has its 
action on all parts of the body (but now'here is that action 
more manifest than on the organs used in connection with 
the breath); that with the higher and truer desires of life 
comes a new state of breathing—we breathe deeper and 
stronger and take more time in inhaling and exhaling; 
in short, that we draw nourishment direct from the atmos¬ 
phere as naturally as do plants and trees—all the varied 
forms of vegetable life. 

The question may be asked, Why is it that some persons 
living on a very material plane breathe strong and deep, 
but are not nourished in this way, requiring a great deal 
of prepared food to meet the needs of the body? I would 
answer that the desires of such a person were strong and 
true as far as they went; that his perception of life did not 
extend beyond that plane; that, his mind being engrossed 
in the things of form and his desires being there, the nat¬ 
ural way to replenish the body would be to draw from the 
visible rather than the invisible realm. But the truly 
spiritual mind—whose aspirations and desires are for 
things invisible to material sight— attracts to itself the 
things necessary to sustain the body. The alchemist is 
within; it acts upon nature in such a way as to separate 
the dross from the gold, casting aside the former as being 
unnecessary to give true expression to the form of man in 
the world in w'hich w r e live. 


BREATH VIBRATION. 


One of the problems yet to be solved by the Western 
mind is that of the true action of breath. It is not the 
purpose of this article to give definite instructions in 
regard to the control of breath, but rather to suggest the 
possibilities for good that may accrue to man from a 
knowledge of its proper direction and use. 

One may go without food or drink for quite a long 
period; but with breathing it is different. A few minutes, 
at the longest, without taking breath will cause a separa¬ 
tion between soul and body. The writer is convinced that 
the question of breath—in relation to the power it exerts 
on man’s physical life and the direction it should take 
through a true understanding—is of great importance: 
one on which the majority of people fail to place an 
adequate estimate. 

It is well know'n that people in the far East, who lay 
claim to considerable knowledge of occult matters, declare 
that many of the phenomena that seem so wonderful and 
mysterious to Western beholders are produced through 
the properly controlled and directed action of breath. 
Inability to take strong, deep breath serves to bring 
about an unbalancing of the physical organism. Breath 
acts as a counterbalance to the “fire” in the human body, 
which is composed of all the elements of the planet. Now, 
it is plain that these elements should be properly adjusted 
or related one to another. Fire, w r hen dominant, destroys 
the equilibrium. If the breath is short and weak, there is 
a tendency for the fire to consume and destroy the body. 


58 New Thought Essays. 

and where there is this consumption there is also a lack of 
respiration. 

I do not wish to be understood as laying undue stress 
on the power of breath aside from a controlled and directed 
effort on the part of man, for I believe that physical exer¬ 
cise of any kind is of little benefit save as it becomes a 
vehicle for the expression of inner things. In order to get 
lasting good from breathing exercises we must pay atten¬ 
tion to the mental qualities that normally should control 
the action of the breath. Desire expresses itself in our 
method of breathing. Strong, true, uplifting desire causes 
us to breathe strong and deep, w hile a weak, vacillating, 
and false desire results in superficial breathing. This 
can be proved by any one through carefully noting the 
effect of varying desires upon the breath. 

It is singular how the natural state of breathing is 
affected by the thought of a material object, or even a color. 
The thought of anything black seems to produce a restrain¬ 
ing influence on the breath, while to think of something 
w r hite or yellow tends invariably toward freedom in breath¬ 
ing. In fact, any color w^e look upon or think about has 
a definite action on the breath. This is not a mere guess: 
it is a fact that has been repeatedly proved by persons 
that have made a study of the question. It is evident to 
all wdio give any thought to the matter that the breath is 
affected by the different mental emotions: that, for 
instance, the false mental condition of anger or hate causes 
a short, quick breath, while thoughts of peace and love 
produce the properly controlled, deep, long breath. 

It is possible through thought-action alone to effect a 
marked change in the circulation of the blood; but, with 
thought and a controlled and directed action of the breath, 
such a change can be effected almost immediately. I 
believe it possible thus to regulate the circulation of the 
blood so that it will flow equally to all parts of the body. 


Breath Vibration . 


59 


Again, I know of no better way to acquire concentration 
of mind than through breathing exercises. As already 
explained, however, we must not lay so much stress on the 
breath itself as on its properly regulated and directed 
action . It is not the long, deep breath that gives the 
strong, true thought; but, rather, the strong, true thought 
that gives the long, deep breath. 

Breath does not penetrate one part alone of the body. 
The lungs are not the only organs that breathe: this 
function characterizes the whole body, from head to foot. 
Under a controlled and directed action, the breath pene¬ 
trates, or circulates, among all the molecules of the body; 
hence, the whole organism may be said to breathe. 

In the last paper I referred to the possibility of taking 
food direct from the atmosphere through breath-action; 
and I am convinced that this is already being done to a 
marked degree by numbers of people—in some cases con¬ 
sciously, in others unconsciously. I feel assured that, as 
man grows more spiritual—as his desires become more 
centered in the inner, conscious world—material food, in 
its present form, will be no longer necessary to sustain 
the body whose nourishment will be drawn from the finer 
substances of nature. 

The possibilities of controlled breath-action cannot be 
overestimated. No matter from what point of view we 
consider the subject, in its different bearings, we can see 
nothing but good flowing from it. It gives elasticity and 
“lightness” of body; it is beneficial in overcoming nervous 
conditions, and is invaluable in banishing insomnia. Its 
renewing power is most marked—as it tends to establish 
a harmonious vibration of all the molecules in the physical 
form. Through its proper use, coughs, colds, and other 
lung troubles would become things of the past. It is unde¬ 
niable that even at the present time the lungs are not 
utilized to more than half their capacity. It is self-evident 


60 


New Thought Essays. 


that the organs of our bodies are intended for proper and 
thorough use. If they are not used as they should be, 
weakness will come—soon to be followed by disease and 
death. 

Persons having but little knowledge of breath-action 
feel, nevertheless, that its right use must be important; 
otherwise they would not recommend long, deep breathing 
as an exercise. But, while this in itself may produce some 
good results, yet it is a very different thing to know and to 
use the force in a conscious and intelligent way. 

To say nothing of the sacred books and the fragmentary 
writings of the sages of India, our own Bible is filled with 
thoughts concerning breath. In Genesis we are told that 
God ‘‘breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man 
became a living soul.” In Job we read that “the Spirit 
of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty 
hath given me life”; “but there is a spirit in man, and the 
inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.” 
Inspiration and breath, in a certain sense, are one—as the 
outer correspondence of inspiration is in-breathing. Even 
the word spirit (Latin: spiritus , spirare , to breathe) gives 
the thought of breath as the correspondence of the Uni¬ 
versal Spirit, making all vibration dependent on the breath 
of life. In the twentieth chapter of John’s Gospel we 
read: “And when he had said this he breathed on them and 
saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” The old 
English and ancient Saxon gast signifies breath. The word 
“holy” has no other meaning than that of whole ; and so we 
might well read the passage in this way: “Receive ye the 
whole breath.” The receiving of the whole breath would 
mean a thorough knowledge as to control and direction of 
breath. For a number of years Jesus had been instructing 
his disciples in the mysteries of life, and we know that he 
said on one occasion: “To you it is given to know the 
mysteries of the kingdom of God.” And in the passage 


Breath Vibration . 


61 


quoted the thought we get is that the time had come when 
the disciples were ready to receive their last instruction; 
and his breathing upon them would seem to indicate that 
they received it through other channels than that of the 
spoken word. 

It is useless for us to ignore or make light of this ques¬ 
tion of breath. It is of the utmost importance, and the 
better and truer way is to try to get as intelligent and 
comprehensive a knowledge of the question as possible. 
Some of the advocates of spiritual science may think that 
we are taking too material a view of the matter; but I can¬ 
not think that such is the case. We should try to under¬ 
stand the power and the use of all force. I know that we 
can make too much of the effects of things, but it is never¬ 
theless true that we should have as thorough a knowledge 
of cause and effect as it is possible to have. 

It is the outgoing breath that requires the most atten¬ 
tion : on its perfect control depends to a very great degree 
the incoming breath. The out-breathing corresponds to 
and is affected by desire: the in-breathing is the response, 
the inspiration, or fulfilment of desire. People do not 
breathe as well in the dark as in the light; hence, when 
the mind is darkened by wrong thoughts, there is a lack of 
controlled, regular breathing. Impure thoughts produce 
the fetid breath—pure, uplifting thoughts the sweet 
breath. Some may say that it is not thought that affects 
the breath, but a disordered stomach; but all the false con¬ 
ditions of life act on that organ, and an impure breath is 
the result. There is more malaria proceeding from the 
atmosphere of anxious or evil thought, expressed through 
impure breath, than from the earth’s atmosphere. 

Evil thoughts not only tend to influence our own 
breath-action, but there is a direct effect on the atmosphere 
that causes it to become poisoned, and in turn tends to 
poison the lives of others. Our minds, through thought 


62 


New Thought Essays. 


and breath, affect the physical atmosphere—to how 
great a degree it is not possible to say; but as to its effect 
there can be no question. We all know the discordant 
and inharmonious feelings we have when in any assem¬ 
blage where there is conflict of thought and ideas—as, for 
instance, in a political meeting, or in shopping, where a 
large number of people are brought together: many already 
fatigued, and all intent upon their own wants and anxious 
to have them supplied as quickly as possible, to the exclu¬ 
sion, if need be, of everybody else. On the other hand, we 
have all experienced the peace and harmony that prevail 
in an assemblage where there is unity rather than conflict 
of thought—as, for instance, in a church in which all are 
in the same faith and are of one accord. 


FORM AND SYMBOL. 


There is a tendency among the followers of the New 
Thought movement to renounce all allegiance to form and 
symbol, on the ground that they act as barriers to soul- 
development. This is true, in part; yet both form and 
symbol are necessary, and must continue to be employed 
for a very long time. 

There is a continual change going on in the human mind 
that necessitates new forms and new symbols to give 
expression to changes of thought. The symbol becomes 
more refined, perhaps, but for an inner condition there must 
be an outer expression of some sort. We relegate old sym¬ 
bols to the rear when we realize their spiritual import, but 
we find that new ones take their places. When we learn so 
to discriminate between subjective states and objective 
forms as to see their true relation as cause and effect, we 
will no longer lay stress on the objective side of life. But 
this will not necessitate our denying the objective side alto¬ 
gether. Realizing the spirit, we will neither discard the 
letter nor be ruled by it. 

The forms and symbols that are necessary to one may 
not be to another; therefore, it would be well to recognize 
the fact that each person must determine for himself the 
value they possess. It would be a great mistake to remove 
symbolism from the minds of persons that believe it to be 
essential to their welfare. People unfold to a knowledge of 
the spirit; but, until this development takes place, they 
must continue to get their hope and consolation from the 
letter. It is never profitable or wise to take away anything 


64 


New Thought Essays . 


without giving something better in return; therefore, it is 
not Tvell to undermine the belief in form and symbolism of 
one who has not attained to a knowledge of spiritual things. 

This subject is of such vast proportions that it is not 
possible to treat it satisfactorily in the limited space at my 
disposal. I shall refer only briefly, then, to certain of the 
great symbols adhered to by the great body of Christians, 
and to their occult meanings as set forth by those who have 
made an esoteric study of symbolism. 

The Swiss have a saying that “speech is silvern; silence 
is golden.” The sage of Chelsea said: “In a symbol there is 
concealment, and yet revelation.” Here, therefore, by 
silence and speech acting together, comes a double signifi¬ 
cance. And, if the speech be high and the silence fit and 
noble, how expressive will their union be! Thus in many a 
painted device, a simple seal-emblem, the commonest truth 
is proclaimed with new emphasis. 

In the symbol proper, there is always, more or less dis¬ 
tinctly and directly, some embodiment and revelation of 
the Infinite. The Infinite is made to blend itself with the 
finite—to stand visible and, as it were, attainable there. 

Symbolism must be viewed from tw T o standpoints, 
namely, the esoteric and the exoteric. An artist wishes to 
depict on canvas some lofty ideal that he has conceived in 
mind. The ideal may be love, faith, hope, or all three. He 
selects the human form and seeks to portray his ideal 
through it. In this he succeeds—to his own satisfaction. 
Now, this picture will always mean more to him than to a 
person that perceives only a beautiful form. Again, he 
wishes to depict strength, sublimity, and grandeur, and he 
paints a mountain whose top towers far beyond the clouds. 
His picture will always be associated with the ideal he had 
in mind when he painted it. Another person, viewing it, 
might see only a lofty mountain and the accompanying 
effects of clouds and sky, of light and shade. 


Form and Symbol. 


65 


Now, in both these cases the pictures are symbols; but 
how differently they are viewed! In one case we get the 
inner meaning; in the other we perceive only the outer 
form. Therefore, it becomes necessary, in order that we 
shall arrive at a knowledge of truth, to have the inner 
knowledge of the symbol made plain. 

Again, we are to look at symbols from another point of 
view. No matter how sacred a symbol may have been at a 
certain stage in human development, it loses its power 
when man has acquired a thorough comprehension of its 
significance and has risen above its need, or when it has 
been replaced by a still higher symbol; for every symbol is 
but the garment of an ideal. 

Symbols are the clothing of thought, and thought is 
continually shaping for itself new clothing. Old forms 
pass away and are replaced by new; but the persistency 
with which we cling to all form is a remarkable trait in the 
human character. Carlyle says: 

“The law of Perseverance is among* the deepest in man. By nature 
he hates change; seldom will he quit his old house till it has actually 
fallen about his ears. Thus have I seen solemnities linger as cere¬ 
monies, sacred symbols as idle pageants, to the extent of three hundred 
years and more after all life and sacredness had evaporated out of them.” 

At all times in the history of the planet there have been 
those who were possessed of deeper spiritual insight than 
the masses of the world, and it has ever been their desire to 
transmit the knowledge of which they were possessed to 
future generations—and almost invariably they have 
sought to do this through symbolic signs. They knew the 
significance back of the sign, but the masses have believed 
in and worshiped the symbols themselves, i. e., have lived in 
the letter and missed the spirit. When we live to the spirit, 
we die to the letter; when we are alive to the letter we are 
dead to the spirit. 

Perhaps one of the earliest of religious symbols was 


66 


New Thought Essays . 


that of the cross. The cross of Osiris was one of the most 
sacred symbols of the ancient Egyptians. It was an indis¬ 
pensable emblem in all religious ceremonial. It meant 
the pathway to eternal life; the emblem of eternal hope; 
the mystery of life and death. It also meant the union 
between man and God. It is said that the early Spanish 
conquerors in Central and South America were astonished 
to find the cross an object of religious veneration among 
the natives. What meaning they attached to it, however, 
is unknown. Among the Romans its office was a degrading 
one. Death on the cross was held to be so dishonorable 
that only slaves and malefactors of the lowest class were 
subjected to it. 

In the Christian era all this was changed, and the cross 
again became an object of veneration and worship. The 
esoteric meaning is as follows: The four points make four 
angles, dividing the circle into four equal parts. The 
cross thus portrays a perfect union, balance, equality, and 
at-one-ment on all four planes—the phenomenal, intellec¬ 
tual, psychical, and celestial or spiritual. 

The mystery of the crucifixion is explained as follows 
(from four different points of view): First, to the natural 
and actual sense, typifying the crucifixion of the man of 
God by the world; secondly, to the intellectual and philo¬ 
sophic sense, typifying the crucifixion in man of the lower 
nature; thirdly, to the personal and sacrificial sense, 
symbolizing the passion and oblation of the Redeemer; 
and fourthly, to the celestial and creative sense, represent¬ 
ing the oblation of God to the universe. To the crucified, 
regenerate man, having made at-one-ment throughout his 
own dual and fourfold nature, this crucifixion is the death 
of the animal body; the rending of the veil of the flesh; the 
union of the will of man with that of God; the coming into 
accord with the absolute law of love. It is sometimes 
called the reconciliation, which is but another name for the 
at-one-ment. 


Form and Symbol. 


67 


The Serpent has ever been the symbol of wisdom. It is 
also the symbol of man’s lower nature. The fiery serpent 
that destroyed the children of Israel in the wilderness 
symbolizes earthly wisdom, or wisdom acquired through 
the objective senses; while the serpent that Moses lifted 
up in the wilderness symbolizes the higher wisdom, which 
gives life. In the .light of this we can more readily under¬ 
stand the saying of Jesus: “As Moses lifted up the serpent 
in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted 
up.” The serpent with its tail in its mouth signifies 
eternity—neither beginning nor end. 

The symbol of baptism by water is purification, and 
was used many hundreds of years before John the Baptist. 
The communion that is celebrated in Christian churches is 
the intercourse of soul with soul. The body, or “bread,” of 
which all must partake, corresponds to the word of God. 
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that 
proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” The wine is the 
divine Will, the life of God, the Love that is to become 
active within the soul of man. Unless we partake of this 
bread and wine, we can have no realizing sense of the 
at-one-ment; we can have no knowledge of man’s sonship 
to God. 

In the world there are two classes of minds—both seek¬ 
ing a knowledge of the Truth. One strives to attain or 
unfold to truth, the other to acquire it. The one that seeks 
to attain to it looks from within outward; the one that 
seeks to acquire it looks from without inward. He that 
seeks to acquire Truth relies largely on the reasoning facul¬ 
ties of mind; while he that seeks to attain to it relies on the 
intuitive or spiritual faculties of the soul. One gets the 
knowledge that comes through objective channels; the 
other drawls direct from the subjective source. The objec¬ 
tive deals with forms and symbols, working from form to 
the “something” that lies beyond. He that lives in the 


68 


New Thought Essays. 


subjective arrives at the true nature of things and sees 
them in their true relation, knowing the subjective to be 
cause and the objective effect. He sees from cause to 
effect, instead ©f reasoning from effect to cause. 

The only reality a symbol possesses is the invisible 
thought that calls it into existence. Then let us try truly 
to distinguish between the form and the power that 
animates it. 

“The letter fails, and systems fall, 

And every symbol wanes; 

The Spirit over-brooding' all, 

Eternal Love remains.” 


MENTAL SCIENCE VS. HYPNOTISM. 


The term “animal magnetism” is misleading, and is 
made to cover a great many phases of mental phenomena. 

Some animals undoubtedly possess a kind of power 
that others do not seem to have. A small bird was seen 
fluttering a few feet above some bushes, dropping lower 
and lower as it circled around and making a peculiar noise, 
as if terrified. As the observer approached the bushes be 
frightened a large cat from under them. Immediately 
the bird regained its self-possession and flew away. 

At another time, attention was attracted by the excited 
cackling of some fowls that were under a large tree, and 
upon investigation the fact was revealed that the fowls 
were huddled together, apparently unable to move, and 
showing every evidence of being dominated by some exter¬ 
nal influence, which was found to be a large snake, ready 
to drop on its prey from a branch of the tree. Such inci¬ 
dents are common, and show the power one animal may 
exert over another. 

This influence is sometimes exerted on certain persons 
by others, when all concerned are on the purely animal 
plane of existence. But no animal can exert this power 
upon entities living on the intellectual plane; therefore, 
when it is employed upon a plane other than the animal, 
the word “animal” should be dropped. It is no longer 
animal magnetism, but might more correctly be called 
intellectual magnetism. The power perceived in the ani¬ 
mal kingdom becomes intensified on the intellectual plane, 
frequently dominating the animal to a marked degree. 
The strongest physical organisms seem to have but little 


70 


New Thought Essays. 


power to cope with, this magnetism. Sandow, a man 
noted for his wonderful strength, a few months ago sub¬ 
mitted himself to hypnotic tests before a number of 
prominent physicians in New York City. It is well known 
that he is able to handle two-hundred-pound dumb-bells 
without apparent effort, and to perform other feats show¬ 
ing astounding muscular strength. One of the doctors, a 
small man, who would have been but a child in Sandow’s 
hands, put him under a hypnotic spell, and the famous 
“strong man” could not lift dumb-bells weighing even two 
pounds. He strained and tugged at them until he per¬ 
spired profusely; yet he could not move them one inch 
from the floor. The physical giant was as clay in the 
hands of the potter. 

If the fact were made clear that as man grows away 
from the animal plane his magnetic power increases, the 
term “animal magnetism” would soon be recognized as a 
misnomer. We often hear that a certain speaker has a 
great deal of animal magnetism because of his power to 
move and control audiences, when there may be compara¬ 
tively little of the animal in the man. The term “magnet¬ 
ism” may be used on all the varying planes of thought— 
physical, intellectual, and spiritual: for there is as truly a 
spiritual as a physical or intellectual magnetism. The 
spiritual, however, has this difference: it has eradicated 
the selfish propensities and desires that exist to a great 
degree on the other planes. 

Coming directly to what has been known as mesmerism, 
but now as hypnotism—the only difference being that the 
phenomena have been greatly diversified since the latter 
name has been adopted—we find that knowledge concern¬ 
ing this subject was first acquired by Europeans about the 
middle of the last century. There is no doubt, however, 
that certain persons in the far East have been familiar 
with it from the earliest times, and that their power 


Mental Science vs. Hypnotism. 11 

greatly exceeds anything known either in this country or 
in Europe. 

Thought travels in waves; hence, it is not strange that 
several persons in different parts of Europe should at the 
same time conceive the idea that men are sensible to the 
influence of magnetism. Among others thus convinced 
was Maximilian Hell, professor of astronomy at Vienna. 
He advised a physician of his acquaintance, Dr. Frederick 
Anton Mesmer, to try to cure diseases with a magnet. 
Mesmer made a number of experiments, and found that he 
could exercise a singular influence over his patients. He 
immediately laid claim to the discovery of a great curative 
agent, and public attention was at once called to the new 
way of treating disease. Hell also claimed to be the real 
discoverer, and a serious dispute arose between him and 
Mesmer, the latter declaring that he did not cure his 
patients by mineral magnetism but by animal magnetism 
—a peculiar agent developed in his own body and con¬ 
ducted to the patients either with or without magnets. 
There is this in proof of his statement: that when he was 
graduated, and took his degree of M.D., in his thesis he 
held that the universe is pervaded by a subtle element 
having extraordinary influence on the human body and 
being identical with the magnetic element. 

As a matter of fact, neither Mesmer nor Hell was the 
discoverer of magnetism and the curative properties of 
the magnet. In Dr. Franz Hartmann’s work on “Para¬ 
celsus,” we find the following: 

“Paracelsus was well acquainted with the therapeutic powers of the 
magnet and used it in various diseases. He knew the powers of mineral, 
human, and astral magnetism, and his doctrines in regard to human 
magnetism have been confirmed to a great extent since the time of his 
death. More than a hundred years ago Mesmer created a sensation in the 
medical world by his discovery of animal magnetism and by his 
magnetic cures. His discovery was then believed to refer to something 
new and unheard of; but Lessing proved already in 1769 that the real 
discoverer of animal magnetism was Paracelsus.” 


72 


New Thought Essays. 


It was about the year 1778 that Mesmer made his 
appearance in Paris, which was then the world’s great 
center of science and literature. A commission appointed 
by the French Government to examine into Mesmer’s dis¬ 
covery was unfavorable to him. The report admitted that 
a great influence was wrought upon the subject, but this 
influence was ascribed chiefly to the imagination. The 
impression left on the public mind by the report was that 
Mesmer was a charlatan, and from that time onward his 
influence waned. 

The process of Mesmer was very different from that 
resorted to by latter-day hypnotists. His way of treating 
patients was to take several together, place magnets upon 
different parts of their bodies, and have each person hold 
in hand one of the rods of iron projecting from a tub filled 
with various kinds of minerals. The whole party was then 
connected by touching hands, and also by a cord passed 
around each person. The apartment was dimly lighted 
and hung with mirrors; strains of soft music occasionally 
broke the profound silence; odors were wafted through 
the room—while Mesmer, clad in the garments of a magi¬ 
cian, glided among them, affecting some by making passes 
with the hands, others by look, and so on. The effects 
were various, although all were held to be in the highest 
degree beneficial. 

Mesmer passed away in 1815, leaving many distin¬ 
guished disciples, who continued his methods with 
varying success. 

It would be both interesting and instructive to follow 
the study of this subject through its different phases up to 
the present, but space will not permit; so we will proceed 
to give some of the opinions and researches of the greatest 
hypnotists of to-day. Dr. Braid, of Manchester, England, 
who coined the word “hypnotism” to denote certain states 
of sleep into which the subject was thrown, demonstrated 


Mental Science vs. Hypnotism. 73 

by experiment that it was possible to produce an artificial 
sleep without any act or aid of another; that one had only 
to fix his eyes for a few minutes upon some luminous object 
placed a little higher than the ordinary plane of vision, at 
a distance of two or three inches, to induce this impersonal 
sleep. 

The w r ord “hypnotism” is now generally used to cover 
various forms of magnetism. 

The usual method employed by Charcot in hypnotizing 
a subject was first to get his good will, and then unexpect¬ 
edly unmask before his eyes an electric or magnesium 
light. He could act equally well on the organs of hearing 
by suddenly and unexpectedly sounding a gong. The pa¬ 
tient, not expecting it and becoming instantly motionless,, 
would become transfixed in the gesture he was making at 
the moment the gong was sounded. Another method 
employed by Charcot was to place the subject near a large 
tuning-fork operated by an electro-magnet. Little by 
little, under the influence of the swelling vibrations thus 
produced, sleep would supervene and become as profound 
as when the other methods were used. 

Charcot says that the psychic characteristic of hypnotic 
somnambulism is one of absolute trust—a boundless com 
fidence on the part of the subject toward the one that has 
hypnotized him. No matter how improbable the story 
told in the presence of a person so hypnotized, he believes 
it, makes it his own, and it becomes the center of his entire 
cerebral activity. All his thoughts radiate from it until 
some new thought is furnished him that may be exactly 
opposite to the former. It is because of this state of mind 
that the phenomena of suggestion are so easily produced. 
Suggestion may be carried to almost any length. 

“The more I have examined the facts and the more I 
have advanced in my study,” says Charcot, summing up, 
“the more I am convinced that hypnotism is a reaction, not 


74 


New Thought Essays. 


an action.” This remark can only mean that hypnotism is 
a suspension to a certain degree of the vital force that 
animates and controls the body of man. But it is more 
than this; it is a withdrawal of the soul from the body, 
in proof of which numerous cases may be cited of persons 
under hypnotic influence seeing and hearing things that 
were occurring at great distances. 

Medical men are now turning their attention to hypno¬ 
tism as a power to be invoked for the healing of disease. 
In the past, no one thing has wrought so much suffering 
and so perpetuated disease as the poisonous drugs 
administered by the medical fraternity; but a greater evil 
will result from the wide employment of hypnotism than 
from the use of drugs. Hypnotism is an inversion of the 
truth. It is putting to a wrong use a God-given power 
that should never be used to produce a reaction whereby 
the will of man is lessened, the faculties of mind are weak¬ 
ened, and the subject comes and goes at the beck and call 
of the one that controls him. No soul should ever seek 
to control another. In doing so man violates the law of 
his own being; and as he metes it out it shall be measured 
to him again. We have no moral nor spiritual right to 
compel another to do anything, no matter whether we 
believe it to be beneficial to him or otherwise. Hypnotism 
is founded on selfishness; it is but a combination of animal 
and intellectual soul powers. There is no thought of spir¬ 
ituality in hypnotism from beginning to end; for where 
the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom. 

Some will ask, If you succeed in relieving pain, is it not 
an agent for good? It is not, and never can be. Its advo¬ 
cates claim that it is harmless, and that beneficial results 
ensue when used aright by trained, scientific minds, but 
that the medical profession should alone use it, to the 
exclusion of impostors and charlatans. This, however, 
would only be a transfer of charlatanism from one class 


Mental Science vs. Hypnotism. 


75 


to another. It does not follow, because the medical pro¬ 
fession has a certain knowledge of anatomy, that it 
understands the workings of the human mind. In fact the 
whole history of medicine shows rather the reverse of this, 
and hypnotism in medical hands would only become 
another instrument to destroy the liberties of the people. 

Again, pain is not so much the enemy of man as it is his 
friend. It is a notification from Nature that man has 
transgressed her laws, and the dulling or overcoming of 
pain through other than a natural way is not going to 
benefit man in the end. It is only putting off the evil day. 

We render an account in our bodies of the evil things 
we think. Mental science, therefore, would seek to over¬ 
come conditions of pain and disease, not through denying 
them away, but by seeking to make plain the laws that 
regulate life and by suggesting obedience thereto as the 
one thing needful to produce health and strength. It 
would emphasize the fact that there are powers latent in 
the life of man that if used aright would bring to him a 
greater fulness of life, and that freedom is needful for their 
development. Perfection of life comes to all through an 
understanding of the powers and forces latent in the soul 
and their rightful use in strengthening both mind and 
body. Mental science directs its efforts to the awakening 
of these inner forces and bringing about a true action of 
mind, which results in a controlled, regular movement of 
the different organs of the body. 

Hypnotism weakens the will of the subject; it destroys 
his independence; it tends to a deadening of his mental 
faculties, so that in time he becomes more of an automa¬ 
ton, controlled and directed by the will of others, than 
a thinking, reasoning being whose life and actions 
are under the control of his own mind. I do not 
question the sincerity or the humanitarian impulses 
of the advocates of this system, but I do question the good 


76 


New Thought Essays. 


that is alleged to flow from its use. If we sacrifice our own 
independence, our own individuality, has not the price 
been greater than any seeming gain that may come to us 
through the overcoming of pain? When we are in har¬ 
mony with the laws of Nature, we do not induce reactions; 
but we realize that a perfect, regulated action becomes 
necessary for either mental or physical health. 

In conclusion, mental treatment produces true action , 
not reaction; the faculties of mind are quickened, not 
dulled; the will of the patient is increased, not lessened: 
showing that, while hypnotism is contrary to the law of 
God, mental healing is fully in accord therewith. 


THOUGHTS ON SPIRITUAL HEALING. 


It is somewhat difficult to convince persons that look 
upon all suggestion as hypnotic that there is any difference 
between the suggestion given by a spiritual scientist and 
that given by a hypnotist. I shall try to show, however, 
in this paper, that the difference is a radical one. 

A suggestion given by a hypnotist may be a good or a 
bad one; but he wills his subject to do, or not to do, as the 
case may be, using the influence of his will in such a way 
that the hypnotized person is practically at his mercy. It 
is claimed by many advocates of hypnotism that the moral 
nature of the subject cannot be perverted by a wrong sug¬ 
gestion; and that, although he will follow out and act 
upon one that is not in itself evil, yet when an evil sugges¬ 
tion is given the subject has sufficient moral stamina to 
resist it—that is, not to act upon it. This, I admit, may 
sometimes happen; but in the great majority of cases the 
theory is not tenable. I am persuaded that the average 
hypnotic subject will act as readily on a wrong suggestion, 
when entirely under the influence of the hypnotist, as on 
a right one. 

From careful observation I have become convinced 
that hypnotic suggestion is a reversal of certain laws that 
regulate life, and that any seemingly good effects that flow 
from it will prove in the end to be detrimental to the well¬ 
being of the subject. We are too ready to reach con¬ 
clusions when we perceive certain changes in mind and 
body that at the time apparently affect the patient for 
good. The history of medicine proves this conclusively. 


78 


New Thought Essays. 


The things that produced the quickest results were at 
one time considered the most valuable remedies. For 
instance, mercury was first thought to be an invaluable 
medicine, but its after-effects have undoubtedly been many 
times more disastrous to the body than any disease that 
it seemed to remove. Again, few persons will question 
the effect of antipyrene in reducing fever; yet this drug 
has killed more people than it has ever helped—by bring¬ 
ing about an unnatural condition and thus forcing such a 
reaction that the heart was unable to perform its func¬ 
tions. And this is true of all the different serums: the 
seeming present good is as nothing in comparison with the 
evils flowing from a poisoned state of the blood. 

It will take time for the masses to become convinced 
of these things; but sooner or later it must become evident 
to thinking minds that unnatural actions and reactions 
of mind and body can in no way be conducive to health— 
that health and strength must proceed from natural 
mental actions, which in turn give place to natural physi¬ 
cal actions. If we would make a careful study of the 
human mind we would perceive that it acts most truly 
when allowed the greatest freedom to follow its natural 
bent—that anything in the nature of compulsion tends to 
restrict its normal development. We would also see that 
mental freedom and harmony inevitably keep the body in 
a healthy (harmonious) condition. 

The true office of individual minds in their action upon 
others is to present truths, not to try to enforce their accep¬ 
tance. We should never use our wills to force another to 
do, or to refrain from doing, even that which would be 
best for him if he followed our suggestion. Spiritual 
treatment has for its object the presentation of eternal 
truths, leaving it optional for the patient to receive and 
act on them or to reject them, as he may choose. In this 
respect it differs essentially from hypnotic and all other 


Thoughts on Spiritual Healing. 


79 


methods in which the reverse fof this plays the most prom¬ 
inent part. Many well-meaning persons engaged in the 
healing art introduce certain things into their treatment 
that in a sense are akin to hypnotism. Anything that will 
not in the end prove beneficial to a patient, no matter what 
the seeming present good may be, is not a good thing to 
suggest to the mind of another. Any suggestion that has 
not for its object the elevation of the moral and the better¬ 
ment of the physical side of life cannot be helpful. And 
anything that tends to deceive, so that the mind is diverted 
from the realities of life, can never bring gain to any one. 

Now, I do not question the honesty or sincerity of the 
persons using these erroneous methods. Personality 
should play no part in our discussion. We want to know 
more about the laws that influence our lives for good, 
rather than to enter into personal controversies that are 
really of no benefit to any one. The question before us, 
then, is one of principle—the dealing with principles—and 
not an attack on any person or body of persons. 

Every thought that enters the mind of man must to 
some degree affect his life, either for good or the reverse. 
All true suggestion, then, must have for its aim the pre¬ 
sentation of the truth and nothing but the truth. When, 
therefore, any one denies away the visible universe, the 
visible body of man, sin, disease, the sorrow and distress 
of life, etc., he is not dealing with the truths of life, but 
rather dwelling in its shadows. The visible universe and 
the visible body of man are the clothing of invisible forces 
or powers that lie back of them. The sin, disease, and 
sorrow of life, while not real or eternal, have an existence 
that can never be overcome through any mental process 
of denial. Evil is overcome only by good. It is only as 
the heart of man becomes fixed on the eternal realities of 
life and truth that evil disappears; and it is only as the 
sunshine of God’s love enters the mind of man that the 


80 


New Thought Essays . 


unreal shadows of life vanish. Why should we perpetu¬ 
ate the existence of evil and disease through “denying” 
them? Do our minds become more illuminated? No; 
the process of denial is after all one of weakness and 
despair. It never elevates nor spiritualizes the life. The 
things we mentally deny we must picture in mind; and 
thus the mind becomes filled with unwholesome thought- 
pictures. 

The mental scientist stands fairly and squarely on the 
affirmative side of life, declaring that God is omnipotent, 
omnipresent, and omniscient. Every suggestion he gives 
has this as a background. Every thought-picture has in 
it the radiance of light and truth. Knowing that all 
knowledge is of God, he realizes that all knowledge must 
be good—therefore there can be nothing evil in the wisdom 
or power of God. Thus we see that spiritual healing 
overcomes the false existence of evil and disease by the 
affirmations of eternal, omnipresent good and of eternal 
life and health, recognizing but one will in the universe— 
the Will of God becoming manifest in the life of man. 
In the light of this truth, no spiritual scientist may exert 
the human will in such a way as to compel another to 
think or act as he may wish. In every treatment he gives, 
his own personality sinks out of sight, and only the princi¬ 
ples—the truths of life—are brought into- the foreground. 
Every thought of self is obliterated. 

In God “we live, and move, and have our being.” 
There is a spirit within man that when recognized by the 
mind is perceived to be one with the universal Spirit. He 
is one with the universal Soul of things. This is what 
spiritual treatment seeks to bring about—the recognition 
of the indwelling Spirit of God; the becoming at one with 
God; the human will disappearing before the Divine Will; 
the light shining in the darkness becoming a living flame, 
so that soul and mind and body are enlightened thereby. 


Thoughts on Spiritual Healing. 


81 


It is a knowledge of this truth that brings the absolute 
freedom of life, whereby a man becomes a law unto 
himself, disclosing in his own life God’s perfect image and 
likeness. The health, strength, and perfection of life can 
come only in this way. 

If we should succeed in banishing pain through the 
mental process of denial, the temporary good would in 
no case be beneficial, because pain, after all, is an index 
to the violation of law. Through pain we become aware 
that something is wrong. If the pain be lasting, sooner 
or later we shall ask ourselves the reason for it. And 
when we perceive that it is the physical result of wrong 
mental conditions, we are bound to shape our thoughts 
in a higher and truer way. Thus we gain more knowledge 
of life through the observance of discordant states and 
afterward by overcoming them. 

The great law of contradictories shows us in the end 
the “strait and narrow way” of life. The good of life 
becomes manifest through that which contradicts it. 
Sooner or later we realize that sin of mind and disease of 
body are not natural conditions; then w^e seek to replace 
them by true ones. The seeming evil of the world, there¬ 
fore, is that which in the end shows us the way of life. By 
“denying away” the evil, we deprive ourselves of the 
experience necessary for our development. Darkness 
proves the reality of light. Ignorance proves the reality 
of knowledge. Sickness proves the reality of health. 
When we have proved the reality of anything, then the 
seeming, or that which contradicts reality, is seen in its 
true light as being only the shadow. In our pressing for¬ 
ward to the light we leave the shadow behind, and it has 
lost all power adversely to affect our lives. Thus “the 
tree of knowledge” by which we solve the mysteries of life 
is the tree of good and evil; and the evil is only dissipated 
from the mind of man by overcoming it with the good—by 


82 


New Thought Essays. 


realizing that good is an eternal reality and that evil is 
only the negation of good. It is this negative side, acting 
as a background, that makes evident to the human mind 
eternal life, love, and truth. 

Spiritual treatment, therefore, has for its sole object 
the understanding of the laws that regulate life, in order 
that conformity may come through such knowledge. The 
body of man is not treated for health or strength. Physi¬ 
cal weakness or infirmity is indicative of an untrue mental 
state. Change this mental state to a true one, through 
overcoming the false ideas by the truth, and the physical 
man so responds that the body becomes completely trans¬ 
formed through the renewing of the mind. Spiritual 
treatment is sowing the seed of God’s w^ord in the mind 
of another. That seed, if the ground is prepared for it, 
will bring forth fruit after its kind. 

In giving spiritual treatment, the healer should first 
realize the things he desires to impress on the mind of his 
patient. He must feel them as soul-states first, and see 
them as thought-pictures next. He should also be posi¬ 
tive concerning the truth of them. In giving his 
treatment his mind must be single to them, so that his 
soul and mind become absorbed in what he is doing to the 
exclusion of everything else. He should realize that he is 
one with all life—one with the life of God and one with the 
life of man; for it is such realization that brings rest and 
peace of mind and health and strength of body. 


PSYCHICAL RESEARCH. 


Spirit is the great life on which matter rests, as does the rocky 
world on the free and fluid ether. Whenever we can break our limi¬ 
tations, we find ourselves on that marvelous shore where Wordsworth 
once saw the gleam of the gold .—Mabel Collins. 

Two great races, the Aryan and the Semitic, have given 
to the world the greater part of its religious thought. We, 
as a people, belong to the former; but we take our religion 
from the latter. The Aryans probably had their origin 
in India, and thence spread over Europe. The Semitic 
race remained in Asia, with the exception of the Jewish 
branch, which became scattered over the face of the earth; 
and for two thousand years its members have been the 
shunned outcasts of all nations. It is from this branch 
that we have taken our religion, although we are of a 
different race—the descendants of a people whose religion 
antedates that of the Jews. We have looked upon the 
Jews as our inferiors; but we have gone to them for our 
religion, and the only authority on religious questions 
recognized by Christians is that derived from the writings 
of the Jewish people in the Old and New Testaments. 

Prior to the coming of Jesus, the Jewish people had no 
strong conceptions concerning immortality. Occasional 
passages are found in the Old Testament intimating a 
belief in immortality; but these occur only among the 
most “inspired” writers. Many passages give a very 
different impression; for instance, Ecclesiastes iii. 19-21: 
“For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth 
beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, 
so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that 


84 


Neio Thought Essays . 


a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is 
vanity. All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all 
turn to dust again. Who knoweth the spirit of man that 
goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth down¬ 
ward to the earth?” 

In fact, among the whole Semitic race—the Syrians, 
the Babylonians, the Chaldeans, and the Egyptians, as 
well as the Jews—immortality never was explicitly 
taught. The belief of the ancient Egyptians was that the 
soul left the body at death and could go where it willed— 
during the day, but must return to the body at night. The 
soul would continue to live so long as the body remained 
intact; but as soon as the physical structure was disinte¬ 
grated the soul was annihilated. Consequently, every 
effort was made to preserve the body. Pyramids were 
built, and in them were placed the embalmed bodies 
of the kings; tunnels were dug under the Nile, and bod¬ 
ies placed in caskets were hidden there. The Chal¬ 
deans* belief was about the same, but they differed from 
the Egyptians in one respect. They believed that the 
departed soul retained all its earthly desires; therefore, 
the family or friends of the dead placed food and drink 
near the tombs—otherwise the deceased persons would 
wreak vengeance upon the living. There were no 
thoughts in connection with the dead to cheer the living. 
In the Hebrew mind even of to-day it is very doubtful if a 
belief in immortality is firmly grounded. Go to any of the 
large Jewish cemeteries in Europe or America, and on cer¬ 
tain days you will find them filled with people mourning 
and lamenting—crying in anguish over their departed. 
It is a sight never to be forgotten. 

Prior to the Christian era, there was a gloomy gran¬ 
deur about all the religions of the Semitic people, but not 
much to inspire the soul with hope concerning a future 
state. Tn order to find a religion of hope, we must resort 


Psychical Research . 


85 


to the Aryans, who began early to burn their corpses. 
This very fact proved that they did not regard the dead 
body as necessary to the soul. The word epitaph (from the 
Sanskrit) means “the place of burning.” The practise of 
cremation would not have been introduced unless the 
people believed that the departed soul could not return to 
the body. The very names of the Aryan gods conveyed 
the idea of hopefulness to the mind. There were Devas, 
the bright and glorious one, and Yuma, the great god of 
the departed. The meaning of Yuma is “self-restraint.” 

In the early Aryan religion the worship was extremely 
simple. There was no priesthood, but people prayed to 
the gods and sang hymns of praise. They believed that 
when the outer body passed away they would have a body 
very much like it, but more ethereal, which would live 
eternally. After the coming of the priesthood, however, 
different castes arose, and religion became largely ceremo¬ 
nial. But the idea of immortality never was obliterated. 
Thus we see that the Aryans and the Semites differed much 
with regard to immortality. Among the latter it was 
either not believed in at all, or was made dependent on the 
preservation of the body or on some other condition. So 
far as we know, not until the coming of Jesus was immor¬ 
tality declared a fundamental principle. Thus we can 
readily understand what a New Testament writer meant 
when he said that Jesus brought life and immortality to 
light. With Jesus, the spirit was ever the quickening and 
renewing power: the body was of very little consequence. 
Again, we find Paul basing his hope of immortality on the 
fact that, if it is possible for one soul to attain it, then, 
according to the eternal and unchanging law of God, all 
souls must do likewise. 

We come now to the question, Can we know and real¬ 
ize immortality in the present? This brings us face to 
face with another question, intimately related to it: Can 


86 


New Thought Essays. 


we know anything, while in this life, of the life that lies 
beyond this plane of mortal sense? The two questions 
are so closely related that we will consider them together. 

Not long ago, the Eight Honorable Arthur J. Balfour, 
leader of the British House of Commons and a member of 
the Eoyal Psychical Research Society, declared in a public 
lecture that there could be no doubt whatever that under 
favorable conditions communication could be established 
between persons in this life and those that had passed 
to another plane. The greatest living English scientist, 
Alfred Russell Wallace, and many others of like eminence, 
take exactly the same position. Thus we see how men of 
importance and influence in the world regard the matter. 

It is claimed by many that we can know nothing con¬ 
cerning any plane other than our own material one; but 
that claim is based largely on the assumption that because 
they have not proved otherwise, no one has. Usually, 
people that assume this attitude give but little evidence of 
spiritual development; while, on the other hand, many 
who are highly developed, spiritually, declare that nothing 
could shake their belief in the realities of another plane 
of existence. Those claiming to have developed certain 
soul powers say that they not only see but converse with 
the departed. Still others are sometimes under an influ¬ 
ence that is apparently foreign to themselves, and while 
in that condition talk of things of which in their normal 
state they have no conscious knowledge. We find yet 
others who are impelled to write many things that it is not 
possible for them to know through external means. How 
is this done? Some of our occult scientists say that it is 
through the action of the subconscious mind; but this 
hypothesis utterly fails to explain many occurrences that 
have come under my own observation. 

Many of the world’s greatest teachers of spiritual 
thought have made statements similar to the following: 


Psychical Research. 


87 . 


“As it is in the heavens, so is it on the earth.” “As it is in 
the highest, so is it in the lowest.” What do they mean? 
Simply this: There is one universal law acting in and 
through all things, and, if we understand the operation of 
that law on any one plane of thought, we have the key 
that unlocks the secrets of the universe. 

How are spiritual phenomena that come to us from 
other planes of thought to be considered—disregarding, 
of course, the opinions of those who are entirely skeptical? 
Many fully believe in “spirit-communications,” but with 
opinions greatly at variance. Some seem to have an idea 
that departure from its physical body endows a soul with 
correct knowledge of all things spiritual, and that, no mat¬ 
ter what the communication may be, it must be accepted 
as truthful. Others are never so happy as when engaged 
in obtaining certain kinds of “physical manifestation”— 
rappings, table-tipping, playing on banjoes, etc. If the 
matter were to end here, we might well say, Deliver us 
from a knowledge of such things! But does it? Why not 
apply a little of the common sense we use in other matters? 
Why not “try the spirits,” and find out if they are of God? 
Why not follow the injunction of the apostle?—“Beloved, 
believe not every spirit.” Why not recognize the working 
of universal law here, as well as in purely physical 
phenomena? 

If very ignorant persons, still in the body, should come 
to us claiming to be possessed of great knowledge and 
understanding, it would not take us long to discover that 
they were impostors and that we could not depend upon 
their statements. It would not make an uncivilized 
Indian a professor of mathematics to take him from the 
plains and place him in Yale College. The mere fact of 
his being there would not give him an understanding of 
mathematical law. If a man is a liar or an ignoramus in 
this world, his passing out of the physical form will not 


88 


New Thought Essays. 


make him a Washington nor an Aristotle. The law of 
spiritual development is that man must work from within 
his soul outward; and growth is a question, not of place, 
but of earnest desire on the part of the ego. 

When considering “spirit-communications,” many per¬ 
sons, apparently wise in matters pertaining to the physical 
world, lose all their common sense and believe anything 
that purports to come from a departed soul. An untu¬ 
tored Indian, whose advice is neither asked for nor 
accepted in this world, is considered competent to advise 
on the weightiest subjects after passing into the “spirit- 
world.” Let us look at these facts in a rational manner, 
without being either bigoted or gullible. There is a 
“happy medium” between the two extremes. When 
statements purporting to come from Socrates, Carlyle, or 
Emerson, are infinitely below the standard of thought left 
bv such men on this plane, the fact is alone sufficient to 
bring discredit on the communication. The law is one, no 
matter what the plane; and if our application of it is true 
regarding mundane affairs, then its truth is only a ques¬ 
tion of degree on the higher plane. Look at the different 
planes of thought existing in this world: do you suppose 
that in another world people will be equal in develop¬ 
ment? Far from it; the mere discarding of the body will 
produce no change of soul. If a man is a liar here, he will 
be a liar there until he learn better. If he goes out of this 
world with a mind filled with hatred and malice, he will 
take that with him; and until light and truth enter his 
soul, dispelling the darkness, these attributes will continue 
to characterize him. 

Messages that come from highly-developed souls on 
the “other side” show that the moral and spiritual natures 
are not greatly changed by what we call death. People 
that go out of this life retaining their sense desires and a 
love for earthly pleasures live close to the earth plane. 


Psychical Research. 


89 

Their forms are gross and non-luminous, unlike those more 
spiritually developed. They do not look to the higher 
influences of their own plane for light, but rather to the 
people on earth with whom they have more in common. 
Neither can the spiritually illuminated of their own world 
help them until they become awakened by the aid of souls 
on this plane, because there is no point of contact. When 
once awakened, however, they may be acted upon from 
both planes of thought. In the light of this we can see 
why the early Christian Church prayed for the souls of the 
departed, and why one of the greatest Churches of to-day 
continues to do so. There is no “hell” on the other shore 
bounded by time and space, but there is one formed out of 
the conditions of untrue thoughts; and its duration is 
extended only by preferring darkness to light. What 
'men sow they must reap, here or elsewhere. 

The quality and condition of the spiritual body are 
determined by the spiritual nature. We know this to be 
true on this plane; and that which is true here must hold 
good on all other planes. Again, there are thousands 
of people in the slums of our great cities that have no 
point of contact with the spiritual-minded; their bodies 
must be cared for and their minds quickened before there 
can be that spiritual awakening which can bring them in 
touch with the spiritually developed, who would be wil¬ 
ling and glad to help them if the time were ripe. On earth 
we find conditions analogous to those said to exist on the 
“other side.” Take the city of New York, for instance. 
We find here people living on many different planes. The 
sun shines for all; the same atmosphere is for all: yet 
some are cold, miserable, and hungry, while others have 
everything that heart can desire. We see many degrees 
of physical and spiritual development; yet all are living 
in one place, and the place that is heaven to one man is 
hell to another, according to the way he relates himself 


90 


Neiv Thought Essays. 


to his environment. He becomes wrongly or rightly 
related to his environment through the use or misuse 
of his mental and spiritual powers. 

There is, as we know, a right way and a wrong way 
to do everything. Spiritual scientists believe that when 
they are in accord with law on this plane they must obtain 
true results, and when in opposition they obtain false 
results. In psychical research, therefore, whatever may 
arise, we should always apply the law. Idle, curious, heed¬ 
less investigation can bring no gain, but rather harm. 
One’s own mental and spiritual condition will determine 
the class of souls one calls about him from the unseen 
world. If one earnestly strives to unfold his own innate 
spiritual powers, the endeavor will aid him in compre¬ 
hending all the mysteries that perplex him. Jesus said: 
“In my Father’s house are many mansions.” When we 
step out of the houses of clay we now inhabit, those that 
we shall enter next will be beautiful or otherwise as our 
thoughts have been good and true or the reverse. We 
may select a mansion that is beautiful if we will to do the 
Will of the Father. “Believe not every spirit, but try the 
spirits whether they are of God.” (I. John iv. 1.) 


TELEPATHY A SCIENTIFIC FACT. 


Few persons that have given any intelligent attention 
to the subject of telepathy any longer question the fact 
that thought may be directly transmitted from mind to 
mind without a visible conductor. We may be cogni¬ 
zant of many phenomena, and yet be unable to define the 
laws that regulate and control their action. While scien¬ 
tists and other men of note are agreed that direct thought- 
transference is an established fact, yet no one has as yet 
been able exactly to define the law under which it takes 
place. Many interesting and plausible theories have been 
advanced, however; and, while we understand that cer¬ 
tain conditions are necessary, yet how thought, forming 
itself in one mind, is psychically transferred to another 
mind, remains a mystery. 

In this paper I will briefly note some of the con¬ 
ditions necessary to obtain the best results. The 
mind of the sender of the message should be thor¬ 
oughly imbued with the thought he desires to transmit. 
When it absorbs his whole mind, to the exclusion of 
everything else, so that his thoughts become definitely 
centered, then with his thought-picture let him feel as if 
he were in the presence of the person he desires to influ¬ 
ence. No matter what distance they may be apart, after 
-a little will come a feeling of nearness to the person; the 
thought of distance will gradually disappear from the 
mind and the feeling of nearness increase, till finally he 
will feel as close to his friend as if they were both in the 
same room. On the part of the sender, then, clearness of 


92 


New Thought Essays . 


vision as regards thought-pictures is especially needful— 
the focusing of thought, or concentration of mind: this 
in turn being reenforced by the action of will. 

On the part of the receiver, a restful, passive state of 
mind seems to give the best condition for the percipience 
of thought. I have found, after many years’ experience, 
that the sleeping state is the best; and next to this, when 
the body is thoroughly relaxed, which is the sure indica¬ 
tion of mental relaxation. 

People talk glibly about “coincidences,” and of 
things “happening.” Nothing ever happens; everything, 
whether great or little, is caused by the action of law. We 
may not understand the law, but that is no reason why we 
should deny the effect. The universe is not governed by 
blind chance: law and order reign supreme. What 
appears to us to be disorder and lack of law’, could w r e but 
discern it aright, would be seen to be an orderly succession 
of events. Ignorant and unobservant, bigoted, or preju¬ 
diced minds may take a different view, blinding their eyes 
to the light of truth; but this in no way affects the facts, 
which such minds are too narrow’ to perceive. 

I wish to put on record a number of facts along this 
line that have come to my personal knowledge, before 
approaching the question of mental healing at a distance, 
which I shall consider in the next paper of this series. 
In regard to all these incidents, there are living witnesses 
who can prove their truth. The first I will relate is the 
answering in every detail of a letter that had not been 
actually received. I was seated at my desk, attending 
to correspondence, when the elevator-boy entered my office 
with letters for me. I recognized from whom one of them 
came by the handwriting on the envelope, and it came 
to me like a flash that I held in my hand a letter I had just 
answered. Calling to a friend who was sitting in my office 
at the time, I remarked that I wished to read to him the 
contents of a letter I had not yet opened. 


Telepathy a Scientific Fact . 


93 


“In the first place,” said I, “this letter contains a post- 

office order for twenty dollars; it is from Mr. E-; he 

says in it to stop giving treatment, as he is quite recovered 
from his trouble; he returns thanks to me and inquires 
about certain books. Now, we will open the letter;” 
which I did, and found that it contained the remittance 
and read almost exactly as I had given it. “Now,” said I, 
“we will open the letter I had already written before this 
was received, and which is already addressed and 
stamped.” I then opened it and showed my receipt to the 
party for twenty dollars. I read my own letter, which 
answered perfectly the questions asked, and said I was 
very glad to know he was well and that treatment need no 
longer be continued. How I came to write that letter 
before receiving the other, and just at the time I did, is a 
little difficult to say. I was thoroughly convinced that I 
had received both the letter and the money when I was 
answering it; but the instant I looked at the other letter 
it came to me that I had previously received no such letter. 

A few years ago I spent some time at the seashore, and 
while there had talked with a lady on the subject of 
thought-transference. She said she believed it possible 
that persons could be benefited by present mental treat¬ 
ment, but could not believe that thought could be directly 
transmitted from mind to mind at a distance; that what 
was looked upon as thought-transference was merely coin¬ 
cidence, and that the facts could be more easily accounted 
for in that way than in any other. While discussing 
the question, I perceived that this lady had developed 
many qualities of mind needful for such thought-transmis¬ 
sion. I gave her a few suggestions, asking her to use them 
in an effort to awaken me out of sleep any time during 
the night that she might be awake. A few days later I 
turned to her at the breakfast-table and said, “You awak¬ 
ened me this morning.” She looked surprised and asked 



New Thought Essays. 


94 


me at what time. “At exactly ten minutes before five,” 
I replied; “you thought of the suggestions I gave you, 
used them, then looked at your watch, and for about two 
minutes you were quiet, when you turned on your other 
■side in bed and in less than two minutes were fast asleep.” 
She seemed very much surprised, but said she had done 
exactly the things I had related and in the same order. 
She is now a thorough believer in thought-transference. 

I was camping out some time ago with a gentleman 
much interested in all occult matters. We had a cot 
apiece in our tent, and one night, the last thing before 
going to sleep, I requested my companion, should he 
awaken any time during the night, to ask me mentally to 
wake up; then, turning my back toward him, I fell asleep. 
About three o’clock I awoke and said, “You had better 
pull the clothes on, for you are very cold.” His answer 
■was: “How did you know that? Your back is turned to 
me.” Now, when my friend awakened, the first thought 
that had entered his mind was that of awakening me; 
the second was that he was cold, and that the clothes had 
slipped off his cot. He said that not an instant of time had 
elapsed between his first thought and my answer. It was 
just light enough for him to see that my back was toward 
him. 

I was out walking early one morning, my mind being in 
an unusually restful condition. Presently it seemed to 
become absorbed in a number of unreal and visionary 
things concerning another person. The experience made 
such an impression on my mind that, meeting the person 
later in the day, I could not refrain from telling him the 
things that occurred to me in the morning. When I had 
finished relating them, he said, “Why, that is exactly what 
I dreamed this morning, and I could not have told it better 
myself.” 

One night I dreamed that a friend was calling to me 


Telepathy a Scientific Fact. 


95 


for help. At first I could not see him; then it seemed as 
if I were looking from the ceiling down on an apartment 
that was perfectly familiar to me, and that the person 
calling for help was running around the room pursued by 
a man whom I knew quite as well, and who seemed to be 
trying to do bodily injury to the other. Another call for 
help came to me, and I awoke. The very vivid dream 
made a deep impression on my mind, because of my inti¬ 
mate acquaintance with both persons, who were also 
friends of each other. In the morning I could not refrain 
from writing to the person who seemed to call to me for 
help. I related all the circumstances that are briefly 
told here. I received a letter the following day, demon¬ 
strating that our letters had passed each other in transit. 
It related the dream just as I had experienced it, telling me 
that the writer had been awakened out of his sleep by the 
sound of his own voice calling on me for help. Scarcely a 
day goes by that things do not occur that prove to me the 
truth of telepathy; but I know of nothing in my experience 
quite so remarkable as the incident just related. 

I am not only convinced that thought is transmitted 
directly from mind to mind,but that it also leaves a definite 
impress on material things: so that sensitive minds may 
get thought-impressions from visible objects about them. 
This would seem to upset many theories widely enter¬ 
tained regarding thought-transference, and make it more 
difficult to account for. If thought produces an etheric 
vibration, by which thought-pictures are projected from 
the mind and transmitted by this agency, how is it that 
these same pictures seem to attach themselves to material 
things and again give their impress to the minds of men? 

In this connection I will relate a few incidents, out of 
many of a similar nature, that have occurred to me. 

Some years ago I slept in a room in which an awful 
crime had been committed. I had no knowledge of that 


96 


New Thought Essays. 


fact, but had been in the room only a few minutes 
when my mind became seized with a fearful apprehension. 
Little by little the whole picture of the crime seemed to 
weave itself in my mind. That night was the most unrest¬ 
ful one I ever experienced, and on making inquiries 
afterward I found that everything had occurred substan¬ 
tially as it came to me. Some might say it was the result 
of the mental action of the persons then living in the house; 
but they were not the occupants at the time of the crime. 
Furthermore, I slept later in another room of the same 
house and received no such harrowing impression. 

The clothing of a bed (sheets and pillow-cases) upon 
which I once slept had been sent to a Chinese laundry, of 
which fact I had no previous knowledge. The first night 
I slept upon them, after they had been returned, my dreams 
were filled entirely with Chinese persons and scenes. The 
next night the same things occurred, but to a lesser degree. 
I was so impressed, however, that I made inquiries of the 
woman in charge of the room and was told that the laun¬ 
dress had not called that week and that she had therefore 
sent the clothes to a Chinese laundry. This to many would 
doubtless have seemed a mere coincidence; but exactly 
the same thing occurred six months later under similar 
conditions. 

I remember once sleeping in a room at a friend’s house, 
and, being asked next morning by a member of the family 
how I had rested, answered that I had slept very well but 
had dreamed a great deal about dressmaking. I was then 
told that for several days previously a dressmaker had used 
the room for that purpose. 

I once occupied a room in which a man ill with con¬ 
sumption had “lived and died.” I had no knowledge 
whatever as to the last occupant, but both in my waking 
moments and while asleep I would experience the feelings 
and think the thoughts that one suffering from this 


Telepathy a Scientific Fact. 


97 


trouble is supposed to have. I could not account for this 
state of mind, and concluded that it must in some way be 
connected with the room. Upon making inquiries I was 
told of the fact just recorded. 

I have related only a few of my personal experiences, 
but I have known many other persons that have passed 
through similar events. In the light of these facts, we can 
better understand why St. Paul sent handkerchiefs and 
aprons to sick persons at a distance, and thus actually 
performed cures. The thought of man impresses every¬ 
thing about him, and that thought seems to live on— 
even when its human author has passed from this plane 
of existence—uplifting and benefiting other minds or 
producing a contrary effect. 

It is not well to be superstitious concerning anything, 
but it is well carefully and thoughtfully to consider each 
and every question that presents itself to our minds, no 
matter what its guise may be. Only in this way can we 
arrive at a true understanding of life and a solution of its 
problems. 


HEALING AT A DISTANCE. 


Although many persons believe in the healing efficacy 
of present mental treatment, yet some are not at all dis¬ 
posed to admit that treatment given from a distance may 
prove beneficial. And others, while acknowledging the fact 
that cures are effected through absent treatment, attribute 
such healing to faith in the mind of the patient, wffio, 
knowing that something is being done for him, really 
induces a mental state that in the end results in health. 
I confess this was my own belief when I first considered 
the matter, and for a long time I refused to give absent 
treatment because of conscientious scruples about receiv¬ 
ing money while uncertain as to whether I was giving 
real return. For more than a year I carried on a system 
of experiment—the details of which it is unnecessary to 
relate here—when I became fully convinced that, under 
proper conditions, absent treatment was as beneficial in 
its effects as present treatment. 

I grant that it is an exceedingly difficult matter for 
persons to believe that any effective result can come from 
the absent method of giving mental treatments if they 
continue to view human life as it has been regarded in the 
past. If we consider men and women as distinct units, 
each having a separate existence—entirely independent 
of any other entity—the problem becomes more complex 
and harder to solve than when considered from the 
spiritual scientist’s point of view. 

A Hindu Swami, referring to the saying of Jesus, 
“Love thy neighbor as thyself,” said, “Thy neighbor is 


Healing at a Distance. 


99 


thyself.” This fully accords with the Apostle Paul’s 
statement that we are members one of another, and that 
in the Clirist-spirit we realize this unity, or oneness, of 
life. If we can conceive of humanity as being one great 
body, to which every individual soul is related in one 
capacity or another, then the action known as “absent 
mental treatment” is neither so mysterious nor miraculous 
as superficially it may appear. 

I know that I have the power to affect different parts 
of my own body through centering thought on those parts 
or withdrawing thought from them; also, that I can 
increase or decrease, at will, the circulation of the blood, 
or life force, throughout any part of my physical organ¬ 
ism. Now, if an individual is able thus to produce a 
definite effect in or upon any part of his own body, he, 
being an inseparable member of the great body of hu¬ 
manity, is able to produce an analogous effect on some 
other part of the larger whole. Whether or not he is 
conscious of this, he does inevitably produce such action, 
either for good or ill; so that rejoicing or sorrow in one 
mind certainly affects the rest of humanity. Persons are 
often depressed without apparent reason; again, they are 
frequently joyous and happy without being able to per¬ 
ceive the cause that brought about such a state. But 
these emotions exist because of the relationship estab¬ 
lished by the individual with either depressed or joyous 
mental states of the great ocean of humanity. 

The earnest seeker after truth should first strive to 
understand the law regulating his own being, because, 
whether he knows it or not, everything that occurs, little or 
great, is the result of eternal and unchanging Law. All 
the disease and discord of life flow from a lack of under¬ 
standing as to its application in human affairs. Every 
inharmonious or discordant state, whether mental or phys¬ 
ical, shows a lack of conformity to the law. These states 


100 


New Thought Essays . 


should prove to the truth-seeker that knowledge of law’ 
is the first requisite, and obedience to its requirements the 
second. These essentials present, every discordant note 
would disappear from his mind and the perfect harmony 
of life become evident; for, knowing the law and its appli¬ 
cation in his own life, he would thoroughly understand 
the law r that governs the entire body of humanity. The 
whole force of his life would be so directed as to influence 
any part, and to a certain extent all parts, of the grand 
mental and physical organism of mankind. 

In the giving of absent treatment, then, there must be 
something more than a belief in the mind of the healer as 
to the unity, or oneness, of life. He must have a realiza¬ 
tion so deep that it starts from the very soul of being that 
he is one with the All; that all are God’s children; that 
God’s life and intelligence animate each and all; and that 
life and intelligence are only restricted by one’s capacity 
to receive, the influx being ever as great as the demand. 

The metaphysical healer cannot permanently give 
health, strength, or happiness to another mind or body; 
but he can throw’ light on the way of life, making clear to 
the patient the true course. The healer sows the seed; 
God gives the increase. The treatment of another 
mind consists in awakening it to new desires and new r 
aspirations, rather than in giving something that the 
person does not already latently possess: because the 
arousing of certain desires and aspirations will cause the 
mind to turn to the Fountain-head, whence every need may 
be supplied. In the conscious effort to affect his patient, 
the healer realizes, first, that he is one with the Source of 
all life; second, that he is related to the whole of life and to 
every part or expression thereof; and third, that he is 
nearer to the life in the individual soul of another than 
he is to his own hands and feet. He talks mentally to the 
patient as he would reason with himself. The union 


Healing at a Distance . 


101 


between one soul and another—between one mind and 
another—thus becomes so complete that it might be said 
they actually blend. The thoughts, desires, joys, and 
hopes of the healer fill the mind of the patient so that the 
new, uplifting, higher ideal of life enters his mind. The 
very depths of his being seem to be stirred; and the soul, 
awakening, brings a renewing of the mind, which in turn 
quickens every action or function of the body. 

This explanation of a subtle process may seem vague 
and unsatisfactory to some, but to those who have realized 
the truth of these things it will undoubtedly appeal. It 
is difficult to take mere words, as representatives of 
material things, and endow them with spiritual meaning: 
only they that have eyes can see; only they that have ears 
can hear. 

In giving either absent or present treatments, all for¬ 
mulas should be avoided, as they tend to throw limitations 
about the healer. The one necessary thing is to under¬ 
stand the needs of the patient. When one comprehends 
his own needs, he sets about to supply them. This should 
be the case in the giving of mental treatment. The healer, 
having attended first to his own greatest needs, may then, 
out of his own fulness, point out the way whereby 
another’s lack may be supplied. He should not dwell on 
the evil (or negative) side; what seems to be evil is only 
the lack of true development—ignorance as to the true 
direction of the power of life. In giving a treatment the 
healer should have but one way in mind, and that the 
true Tvay. He only confuses another mind and makes 
an entity of evil when he denies its existence. It is not 
the denial of evil that makes an undeveloped mind strong 
in the truth, but a knowledge of spiritual things. 

Many persons are both intellectually and spiritually 
lazy—not wanting to do anything for themselves, but 
willing to have everything done for them. These people 


102 


New Thought Essays. 


are continually in need of treatment; they are like a 
watch, which needs winding every twenty-four hours; 
they live on the strength they get from the healer, not 
generating as they should the forces of life for themselves; 
they are not willing to use their own powers of mind and 
soul, but think that, so long as they are paying a stipulated 
sum of money, the one treating them should Iceep them in 
health. Very often they are disappointed when they find 
themselves far from well, notwithstanding all the treat¬ 
ment they have received. A patient makes a great error 
when he relies exclusively upon the healer instead of try¬ 
ing to rise, so far as he knows how, through his own power. 
The patient that works conscientiously with his healer is 
the one that will express health the soonest. Let him, 
first of all, try to be bright; to look on the hopeful side of 
things; to think thoughts of health and strength. This 
mental condition tends to make him more receptive to 
treatment; and, when new thoughts and desires enter his 
mind, let him try to give them expression—not to put 
them aside and refuse to act upon them, but to act on 
every new and true impulse. The patient taking this 
course must soon give expression outwardly to. that which 
already exists inwardly. Health of mind precedes health 
of body: the whole mind makes the whole body. 

After all, the phrase, “absent mental treatment,” does 
not give the true thought. It is used to denote bodily 
separation only; there is no other state of separateness. 
There is not even so-called material separation: because 
the very materials that compose the body have no separa¬ 
tion as between the body of one person and that of another, 
no matter what distance the two may be apart. All 
mental healing, therefore, is really present treatment, 
whether the patient’s body be close at hand or miles dis¬ 
tant. There is certainly a communion—a meeting of 
mind with mind, and soul with soul—regardless of what 


Healing at a Distance . 


103 


we term respectively time and space. Therefore, let the 
patient drop all thought of separation between the healer 
and himself; let him feel that the treatment is going to 
prove effectual—that it is going to accomplish the desired 
result—regardless of time or distance. This also will 
tend to put his mind in a condition of receptivity. 

The office of the healer, then, is to impart a true knowl¬ 
edge of life to the mind of the patient; to dwell on the 
affirmative side; to keep ever before the mind the absolute 
truth of Being—the absolute quality of Love; and to 
throw light on the path of life. This is the healer’s sole 
office. Each soul is endowed with the faculties necessary 
to work out its own salvation, or, in other words, to come 
into a knowledge of its own glory and greatness as a per¬ 
fectible expression of God, containing within itself the 
fulness of the God-head. As Jesus said, “He called them 
gods, unto whom the Word of God came.” When the 
Word of God becomes fully manifested in the life of man, 
then does he truly express the perfect image and likeness 
of his Creator. 




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